Make Working from Home the Best Decision You’ve Ever Made
So often we find ourselves drowning in a sea of paperwork and sometimes even burning the candle at both ends to meet the demands of the day job. There always seems to be a goal which we may or may not reach, however as soon as we do we can’t stop and bask in the achievement as there’s another which we must catch up with. As women we’re often juggling a family life with a hectic career and finding the balance seems like an enduring task never mind the next deadline in work – so how do you get around this way of life? It may just be time to discover what we love doing again. So many people set-up a home business with the intention of finding freedom, I did the same not too long ago and found success in both a cupcake business and an internationally recognized online used book store. Why these? I love doing these things and so many women are doing the exact same thing each and everyday, if you’re stuck in the drudgery of a job you aren’t passionate about and feel as if you are fighting a losing battle then why not make the move? There’s an endless list of benefits to kick-starting your home business and many of these centre around being able to make your own rules, set deadlines, facilitate your own working hours and of course if you own a business you’re overheads are minute when it’s run from home.
Making Working from Home Work
Of course finding your passion is the easy part it’s making and action plan and sticking to it which takes work. There are a few ways to start up your own home-based business and the main ones are to either keep your day job and start part-time or to (bravely) quit your day job and go full throttle into your new empire. Don’t feel pressured to do this one way or the other, quitting your day job is a risky decision to make so most people find that setting a home business up in their spare time is the best way to start. Either way to enjoy working for home we have to make our homes worthy of working from, so begin by creating an environment that is right for you. More often than not having a separate room is the best choice and this can be an upstairs bedroom or any other place going spare, clear this area out and then decide what you need in here to be comfortable and to work well. Aim for somewhere with minimum visual and physical distractions, so you are looking for somewhere which is peaceful and quiet but also has a simplistic decor. Many of us believe that this sacred working place has to be decorated like an office but again it’s another misconception – yes a desk is advised but what about adding other comfort pieces offered by places such as sofasandsectional.com? These pieces don’t just offer comfort when you want to collapse with the paperwork but they also make your work space work for you by offering something more than a location-based office would provide. Complete with home comforts such as a kettle, tea, coffee and healthy snacks to boost brainpower such as nuts and seeds and you’re off to a flying start before you even know it.
For me my vice was the kitchen for our cupcake business and the upstairs back bedroom for the used book business, these two spaces have been cleared out ten times over and only have what is necessary to offer productivity inducing comfort – their spaciousness becomes a safe haven. I believe that this is possible for anyone to achieve in their spare time and who knows if you set up a free time business you may well be able to build a success which has you manage your personal life that bit easier and find freedom in your schedule. Setting your own hours is a great bonus of working from home but don’t let fancy titles and attractive advertising make you think that you only need to work a few hours a week to be a success. This really isn’t true – I run two part-time businesses so four days a week I work from 9am to 3pm but after this I get to make time for my family, friends and most importantly myself, however the success of this demonstrates just how possible it is to incorporate creature comforts into your working day when based from your home.
Laura O’Hanlon is a passionate blogger on minimalist living and home business start-ups
