Operating your small business while working at home: How to set yourself up success

Tips to successfully run your small business from home

How do you set yourself up for success while running a small business at home? Here are some suggestions.

Although flexibility can be beneficial but it’s usually too easy to check messages during family or home time. Not only does this occupy one’s attention, it creates expectations of availability. It is also difficult to relax and lessen stress.

So, how do you keep from all of this?

Be creative in your work space

A great tip for working from home tip is to clearly separate your home and office spaces.

A separate room or space specifically designed for work is essential, since the physical distance could lead to mental distance making it easier to switch off at the day’s end. Finding a desk, the right office chair, and a system for storage can set you up to be successful.

Also, we suggest taking the time to make your workplace feel nice. Research suggests that personalizing your workspace can be a good way to boost productivity.

"I have a large cabin equipped with a kitchen, which has room for my products and equipment. My little haven. It smells wonderful and I’m in full control to the tunes!"

A little imagination in your workplace can make a huge difference.

"I’ve been trying to make my office an environment that I like being in. There’s a row of bright, red roses around the table behind my computer. I have all our huge feather costumes out in the open so I can see them, and I have a quilted blanket my mother made me for the chair I sit in."

If you’re at home working during an epidemic, these small amenities could make all the difference.

Mimic your normal work boundaries

While some may allow work to spill over into their daily lives but it’s better to be cautious about letting this occur. It’s a good idea to keep a laptop off the kitchen table and no packing of orders from the living room.

Having boundaries in place helps to get the most out of your day when working from home.

We need to emulate the boundaries which we’d observe in the normal workplace. For instance, you’d not answer emails that come up if you were in a face-to-face conversation with a customer or an employee which is why you shouldn’t do it in a Zoom meeting.

When working at home, it might be tempting to check every ping from your phone or email immediately, but doing this will not help you in the longer term.

Turn off your email notifications to allow you to concentrate on the task at hand and not be distracted. Then, only check your inbox once every an hour or so.

Find a routine that is a good fit for you and stick to it

Making a schedule when working from home can be very crucial.

A consistent start time with breaks to exercise during the work day and a time when the work day ends, are essential. Staying on a consistent schedule and making a plan for your work schedule will help you become more efficient.

"If I have three massages booked I will stop them one after another Also, I will keep in a schedule that has time for coffee breaks, lunch and other obligations."

Every morning, she’ll pose important questions, such as "What are my goals or milestones I need to accomplish today?" and "What’s in my head right now? ".

Many people want routine and find doing daily gratitude exercises to be beneficial.

Write down three things that you appreciate every day and make a list of your tasks list before bed or early in the morning. This will help you get in a relaxed state and make you feel at ease.

Take on the role of an advocate for your mental health

When you’re at home working, you can go all day without having to see any other people, so you need to know how to advocate for your own mental wellbeing by focusing on self-care.

Be realistic about what you can accomplish especially if homeschooling your kids and take breaks regularly to recharge.

Research shows that, following the SARS quarantine, many people were exhibiting signs of mental stress. Taking the time to talk with your loved ones, family members and clients is crucial.