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

Strategies to run your small-scale business from your the comfort of your home

How can you make yourself more successful as a small-sized business owner from your home? Here are some tips.

While flexibility is beneficial, it’s often all too easy to reply to emails during home or family time. Not only does this challenge the attention of others, but it also increases expectations about availability. It is also difficult to shut off and reduce stress.

So, how do you avoid all of this?

Make your workspace more creative

One great work from home tip is to clearly define your home and work spaces.

A space or room specifically designed for work is critical, as the physical distance could cause mental isolation which makes it easy to unwind at the day’s end. Finding a desk, the right office chair, and storage system will help set you up to be successful.

We also suggests taking the time to make your workplace feel comfortable. And research suggests personalising your workspace can be a good way to boost productivity.

"I have a large cabin equipped with a kitchen, which has enough space for my items as well as other items. It’s my personal sanctuary. It smells divine and I’m entitled to full rights in the world of music!"

Bringing a little creativity into your workspace is something that can be a big difference.

"I’ve tried to make my office an environment that I am happy to be in. There’s a bunch of bright red roses on the desk behind my computer. I place all our massive feather costumes in the open so that I can see them, and I have a quilted afghan my mother made me for my desk."

If you’re at home working when you’re in the middle of an epidemic, these small creature comforts could make all the difference.

Follow the same rules of your workplace as you do at home.

While some may allow work to bleed into their lives at home a bit however, it’s best to be certain that this doesn’t happen. It’s a good idea to keep a laptop off the kitchen table and no packing of orders in the living area.

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

We should mimic the boundaries that we’d face in our regular workplace. For instance, you’d not respond to email notifications popping up if you were in a live meeting with a customer or an employee therefore, you shouldn’t be doing it during a Zoom meeting.

While working at home, it might be tempting to check every phone call or email notifications immediately. However, making this a habit will not help you in the long run.

Switch off notifications for your email to allow you to concentrate on your task without distraction. Only check your inbox once every an hour or so.

Find a method that you like and adhere to it

Making a schedule when working from home is extremely crucial.

A set time for starting work, breaks for physical movement during work hours, and a regular time that is when work ends are essential. Maintaining a regular routine and setting up a schedule around your daily tasks will make you much more effective.

"If there are three appointments booked in I’ll stop them one after another Also, I will keep a set schedule with time for coffee breaks, lunch and other tasks."

Every morning, she should pose important questions, such as "What are the objectives or milestones that I have to achieve today?" and "What’s going through my head this moment? ".

Many people want routine and find practicing daily gratitude tasks to be beneficial.

Write down three things that you appreciate every day and take the time to write down your to-do list at night or first thing in the morning. This will help you get in a good head space and help you feel more at comfortable.

Take on the role of an advocate for your mental health

When you’re at home working it is possible to go for the entire day without seeing anyone else, so it is essential to understand how to be an advocate for your own mental health by practicing self-care.

Be realistic about what you are able to accomplish, especially if you are home schooling kids, and make sure you take regular breaks to re-energize.

Research shows that, following the SARS quarantine, individuals were exhibiting signs of mental stress. Taking the time to keep in touch with your family, friends and clients is crucial.