If you are going to work at home, you need to create an environment that will allow you to operate in a business-like manner. Following are some ways or 'rules' to help you get organized and create a home-based business environment that encourages work rather than hinders it.
- Set Up a Separate Home Office. You need to create a home office. Trying to do you work at the kitchen table just doesn't cut it. Having a separate room is the best arrangement. If that is not possible find the quietest corner of the house and set up a desk where you can keep your business materials organized and where they will stay undisturbed when you're not working. (No small children with sticky fingers allowed.)
Having a separate work space helps you separate your work life from your home life. Entering your home office mentally prepares you to go to work, and establishes a distance between 'work' and 'home'. This separate area can also serve as a signal to your family that 'you're working', and not to be disturbed unless it's important.
- Make Your Home Office a Work Space. Keeping piles of disorganized faxes, bills, and memos scattered on your desk is definitely a distraction when trying to get some work done. You need to be able to sit down in your home office and go to work, without having to clear a space or hunt for a particular piece of paper. You need to keep your home office organized and keep it that way. Buy an in and out basket and use it, invest in a filing cabinet, and have a wastepaper can close by so you can clean up at the end of the day. When you leave your desk at the end of the day, it should be ready to start work on the next day. Make sure to keep all your working materials in of work space. Having to walk around the house to retrieve things can turn into be a serious waste of time.
- Minimize Distractions. You need to be able to concentrate to work at home no matter what type of business you operate. This will be impossible if other family members are wandering in and out of your home office asking you questions or if the phone is ringing constantly. You need to tell your family members what your work schedule is and ask them to respect it by not interrupting you unless it is absolutely necessary. If you have small children, the best thing to do is have someone else watch them while you work at home. If you spouse can't do this, it can be expensive, but you can't do the job you need to do if you are doing something else. If the phone is a problem, use an answering machine or voice mail service. If you use an answering machine, turn down the sound so you can't hear the message and distract you.
- Keep Your Calendar Prominent. Whether on your computer or on your desk, keep your work schedule deadlines visible to help you get organized and stay on task. It is a prominent part of your time management tools, helps you prioritize, and helps establish your routines.