6 Things To Bear In Mind When Launching Your Home-Based Business

There are many benefits to working from home, but there can also be many distractions.

Getting organised is half the battle; the other half is combating the isolation some people feel when they work for themselves.

These 6 top tips will help you create a disciplined working environment whilst maximising networking opportunities.

There are several advantages to starting a business venture from home.

In particular:

1. No travel costs

2. No worries about timekeeping

3. Being your own boss

4. Greater job satisfaction

5. Increased flexibility

6. Better work-life balance

That's the good news. But it isn't all rosy.

Because you are accountable primarily to yourself, there can be all manner of distractions sent to test you, like:

- Daytime TV,

- Warm weather (think I'll just take a half hour stroll)

- Friends and neighbours dropping by unannounced for a coffee (working from home isn't viewed as sacred time unlike if you were at the office)

- You might even find yourself welcoming these kinds of distractions if working from home turns out to be more isolating than you'd thought.

So here are 6 proven tips to keep you on top of your game,

1. Create a separate work space away from your living space

Whilst it's true that many successful entrepreneurs claim to have launched their empires from the kitchen table, generally it's better to create a designated area which says: "this is where I work." Doing this will create an association in your mind so that when you are sitting at your desk or table you will go into 'work mode.'

2. Begin each day with a plan

Prioritise a list of your 3 'must dos' and get them out of the way first thing.

3. Combat potential interruptions

Make sure anyone who is likely to impinge on your productiveness knows how seriously you view your business and that they will not be welcome while you are working.

4. Eliminate other distractions

If your work involves being on or near a PC, then you will already know what a distraction social media and emails can be. It's not easy to resist checking your email every hour, particularly if you are a freelancer who relies on winning work through an online jobs board. But it's a discipline that's worth pursuing, as your productivity will increase and you could gain several extra hours a week as a result of your restraint.

5. Plan outside networking activities

It's possible to feel isolated when you work from home. Think about joining your local Chambers of Commerce, or any relevant 'meet up' groups that will enable you to be social whilst furthering your business interests at the same time. And consider starting a 'mastermind group' for home-workers within your vicinity.

6. Deal with overload

It's easy to become overwhelmed under the weight of a heavy workload. Perhaps you've taken on too much (not wanting to say no), and there is no-one to share the burden or talk things over with. The temptation may be just to plough on with task after task as there is so much to get through.

But the best thing is to stop and take 10 minutes out for some refreshment and to prioritise your actions into 'manageable actions' you can complete in 15-minute chunks. Never be afraid to slow everything down and clarify your thought processes before moving forward.

If at any stage you'd like to arrange a no-obligation chat with a helpful online marketing company about ways to cut through the clutter and improve your productivity,