Operating a Home Office: Things to Avoid
Things to Avoid: #1 Overstocking Your Kitchen
When operating a home office it’s easy to overstock your kitchen with taste treats. Nearly 80% of entrepreneurs that work from their home have selected an area in the house that isn’t more than three feet from the kitchen area. This makes the temptation of indulging in sweets unbearable for most.
The solution is to not buy sweet treats and stay with healthy snacks. If you don’t have them in your kitchen, you won’t be able to snack on non-healthy treats. It only makes sense!
Overstocking your kitchen with non-healthy treats also adds to your waistline. Have you ever wondered where “Secretarial Spread” comes from? Well…the answer is overeating while working. When you do have a small meal or snack, eat it at the kitchen table. Avoid eating at your desk at all cost.
Things to Avoid: #2 Neglecting Housework and Hobbies
Entrepreneurs often find that operating a home office impacts household responsibility. Even the hobbies we loved doing seam to be pushed aside, and soon we begin to evaluate the value of working from home. It’s important to remember that there must be a “perfect balance” with work responsibilities and home obligations. If you learn to prioritize your life, things operate smoother.
Take mini breaks. Ever 45-minutes stretch and walk away from your computer. Reach over, click your voice mail on, and choose a room to dust. Take a deep breath and relax. By the time 15-minutes have passed, you’ve accomplished one household chore and relieved a little tension.
Schedule time for yourself, join a health club, pick up a ceramic class, or join the PTA. Whatever you do, stay faithful to that time. Keeping a smile on your face is just as important as keeping your clients happy.
Being successful takes time. It takes time to learn how to organize your schedule. It takes time to learn how to be and do it all. Operating a home office doesn’t need to be as stressful as you think.
Things to Avoid: #3 Paperwork Backup
I find the most difficult thing to avoid is paperwork backup. Because I work alone it is difficult to complete everything in one day. There is a pile for new clients, current clients, follow ups, to be filed, accounts receivables, and accounts payables. Ideally, you should file your paperwork as it is completed.
Being organized means that you have a file cabinet and a system to manage your office, but that too takes time. Most of us don’t expect to be as successful as we become. Soon we find ourselves buried under a pile of paperwork with a surprised look on our face.
To eliminate paperwork backup, box up things accordingly. Once a document has been recorded, filed in the appropriate folder, and finished box up your documents and put them away. Mark the box by the type of item. For instance, 2005 Accounts Receivables or 2005 Expenses.
Diane M. Hess provides business management and business development services. Her specialty is writing. Visit http://www.ebusinessprofessionals.blogspot.com for business consulting tips.
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