Skip to Main Content

Running a Business from Home

 

RUNNING A BUSINESS FROM HOME –  HAVE YOU GOT WHAT IT TAKES?
 
According to the UK National Statistics agency around 10% of people now work predominantly from home. To those of us who face the daily grind of a commute, working from home sounds idyllic. Overheads are minimal, you can set your own schedule, work at your own pace.   No boss breathing down your neck, no clock to watch, no set time to take breaks. What could be better?

Actually, even with these plus points (and possibly even because of them) working at home can be less idyllic than it seems! Major potential pitfalls include: 

1. Keeping your work and personal life separate. 
2. Avoiding being distracted by family and friends 
3. Overworking 
4. Being taken seriously as a business 
5. Feeling lonely and isolated 
6. Too little space to work/not enough privacy 
7. Self-discipline and time-management
 

Keeping Your Work and Personal Life Separate
 
 
Since you’re in the same place all day many home workers complain they struggle to separate the demands of both family life and business. They're constantly challenged by family interruptions, friends on the telephone, housework they can see needs doing, the postman, pets, you name it! To deal with this you need to be very disciplined and determined. Set (and stick to!) a work schedule, find the ideal spot for your workspace, buy yourself an answering machine and - if necessary - arrange childcare, particularly for very young children. Try to approach your home office in the same way as you would if you left home and went out to work.
 
Distractions from Family and Friends
 
Children may at first struggle to understand that even though you're present at home all the time, you still need to separate your time. You may constantly be bombarded with questions and requests. And well-meaning friends may start ringing you to invite you shopping or out to lunch. If you’re serious about starting a business at home you’ll have to set and stick to clear boundaries. But what if it’s in order to spend more time with the children that you decided to work from home? For the business to prosper sufficient quality time must be set aside to attend to it. Make no mistake - balancing these demands can be very stressful. 
 
Overworking
 
Some people who work from home find they gradually start to work far too much. It's an easy trap to fall into. When you don‘t have to watch the clock you may not fully appreciate how many hours have passed since you started work that morning. However, working too much can make you less productive in the longer term. To avoid burn-out it’s vital that you set your boundaries and limits on how much your business life will cut into your family life, particularly if spending more time with the family is one of the reasons you decided to work from home!   Ideally have a physical door you can shut on your home office. Train yourself to walk past that door when you’re not working. Don’t be tempted to just pop in to check your emails. You may not re-emerge for hours!

Being taken Seriously as a Business

Even if you’re running a business from home you should still remember that you need to appear as a serious business to your clients and customers. It’s great that you can work in your sloppiest clothes but will that give you the right mindset? Will you still feel professional? To feel professional and look professional there are things the home worker can do:

1. Make certain that your printed material communicates that you're a serious business. If you can afford it have professionally designed business cards, letterheads, and sales material.

2. If at all possible get yourself a separate business telephone line and never, ever allow friends or children to answer your business line!

3. Answer the telephone with a professional, business-like greeting. 
 
4. Don't let piles of paper and office equipment take over your home. Use as many space saving storage solutions as you can. If space really is at a premium you might investigate the services of a professional organiser or at least buy yourself one of the many books on the subject.
 
Feeling Lonely and Isolated
 
After the initial euphoria of freedom subsides you may well start to experience feelings of loneliness and isolation. No catching up on last night’s East Enders, no cosy blethers by the coffee machine. You might start to realise just how much you and your co-workers supported one another. Suddenly it’s all down to you and you‘ve got to make it happen. This can be a sobering realisation!  
 
Try to garner support from wherever you can - from your family, friends and even your clients. Get out of the house whenever possible - take the attitude that you work from home rather than at home. Physically visit suppliers, meet clients, chat to the postman and local traders. Don’t just rely on the telephone and internet for all social interaction.   And if you’re facing a particular business problem do make use of the many business counselling and advisory services.

Too Little Space/Not Enough Privacy
 
If at all possible, set aside a separate room in your house for your home office. Decorate and lay it out as functionally and as professionally as you can. If you can avoid it don’t use a corner of the bedroom as this should ideally be a place to relax.
Again, invest in as many practical storage solutions as you can - the investment will pay off in the long run! Bear in mind you can offset some of the costs of running a business from home - consult a business advisor for up-to-date regulations. And don’t forget to inform your home insurance company that you’re running a business from home. Failure to do so can, in certain circumstances, void your policy. 
 
Self-Discipline/Time Management
 
If you are not a natural self-starter and you’re prone to distraction and procrastination think long and hard about whether you have the discipline to really work effectively from home. Although it may be the perfect solution for many, it’s not for everyone!
 
Have Your Say
 
Do you have experience of running a business from home or any questions you'd like to ask?  Click here to visit our forums or why not post a comment below......

 
Your rating: None Average: 5 (1 vote)
Related articles: 
Setting up an Online Business
Juggling Work and Childcare
Starting a Business While Still Employed