When you are working from home, you have to make a commitment to your office. When I hear someone say they love working from home because they can stay in their pajamas or sweat pants and tee shirt, I just shake my head.
Creating a professional attitude for your home office is critical. Would you drive to work and stay in sweat pants? Even on causal Friday you would wear something professional. I feel you should respect your home office in the same way. This is your place of business, whether your office is in a separate room or on your kitchen table, this is where you are building your business. What happens if you get a call from a client or contact that happens to be in your area and wants to connect? What are you going to say, “Sorry, I can’t meet you in 20 minutes, I haven’t showered yet?” This is what you risk by not treating your work space at home as a “real” office!
It is also important to set your boundaries when you work from home, because, if you are not careful, you will be working 15 hours a day! In the beginning, when you are still working “in” your business, you will be putting in long hours getting things set up, figuring out how to schedule your day and manage your family as well. As your business grows and your transition from working “in” your business to working “on” your business, you’ll be able to set definitive hours for work. Nothing will burn you out faster than not making a schedule for yourself.
When I first began working from home, I would be on the computer for an hour or so before the kids got up for school. Then I would make breakfast, drive everyone to school and head upstairs and back to the office till they came home. That was my mommy time to make snacks, run kids to practices, go to games and basically become a chef and a chauffeur! Then after my kids day was done, I would head back upstairs to the office and work, sometimes till midnight or later. Well, once I made the transition to working on my business, my hours changed. I didn’t go into the office until I came back from dropping the kids off to school. that meant I was there from 7:30 -3:30. Then mommy time kicked in till after dinner and bedtime and then I would go back and work for an hour – not till midnight – but for one hour. That meant I had quiet time for myself after the day was done instead of working till I was too tired to work and stumbling to bed.
These clear cut hours structured my day and gave me the freedom to enjoy my home-based business. Now my children are grown and I am still working from home. I could really go crazy time wise because I don’t have to stop for them and their needs – but I have a schedule so I don’t forget my needs! My computer goes on between 8-8:30 in the morning and I will work till 4 or 5pm. On the days when I have evening events, whether they are radio shows on Word of Mom Radio or tweet chats or webinars, I make sure I have some time for myself between the day and evening work times. I try to never work through lunch, it is important to take that break during your day to nourish your body and your spirit.
On the flip side – rules are meant to be broken, right?!? Today is one of those days for me! My son had a kidney stone and I was in the ER with him until 4:15 am and have had about 3 1/2 hours of sleep. Well, guess what? What you say?!? I am in my lounging pajamas, hair in a pony tail, feet up – in slippers mind you – and doing what work I can because I am fried!!! I know I have work to do but I am lucky I had the energy to brush my teeth, let alone bring a mascara wand up to these tired eyes. I tell you – 51 isn’t 21!!! LOL This is why doing this is the exception, not the rule, in my home/office. We all need mental health days and, if I was working for someone else, I know a “personal day” would have been taken today! Instead I am here with my laptop, sharing this with all of you because I hope that you will see that making that commitment to professionally creating your work space at home, you still have that option of being casual when the out of the ordinary happens.
Make it out of the ordinary to not get dressed to go to the office. See how you feel when your kids or significant other, or friends ask where you’re going because you look so nice and you say, “I’m going to my office.” You will be amazed at the pep in your step as you make your morning commute to the kitchen table or wherever your office is in your home. This is your business – make the commitment to treat your office with the respect it deserves! Your business deserves nothing less than your best – and so do you.
