Running your small business from home: How to prepare yourself success

Tips for running a successful small business from home

How do you make yourself more successful while running a small business from your home? Here are some helpful tips.

While flexibility is beneficial, it’s often all too easy to answer those messages during family or home time. Not only does this occupy one’s attention, it creates expectations of being available. It is also difficult to turn off and decrease stress.

So, how can you get rid of all this?

Get creative with your workspace

A great tip for working at home is to clearly separate the work space from your home.

A separate room or space specifically designed for work is vital, since the physical distance could cause mental isolation, meaning it’s easy to unwind at the day’s end. A desk, an appropriate office chair, and a storage system can set you up to be successful.

It is also recommended to take the time to make your workplace feel nice. Research suggests that personalizing your workspace is a great way to increase your productivity.

"I have a large cabin with a kitchen that has plenty of space for my food and supplies. My little haven. It smells divine and I have full rights on the songs!"

Incorporating a bit of creativity into your workspace is something that could make a huge impact.

"I’ve attempted to make my office a space that I like being in. There’s a beautiful string of red roses that line the table behind my computer. I put all of our large feather costumes out to the elements so I can see them. I have a quilted afghan my mum made for me on the chair I sit in."

When you’re working from home in the middle of an outbreak, these tiny creature comforts can make all the difference.

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

While some people might allow work to infiltrate their lives at home a bit however, it’s best to be very strict about not allowing this to happen. It’s a good idea to keep a laptop off the kitchen table and no packing of orders in the living area.

Setting boundaries can help to get the most out of your time working at your home.

We should mimic the boundaries that we’d face at work. For instance, you’d not reply to emails popping up in a live meeting with a customer or an employee and you shouldn’t do this in a Zoom meeting.

If you work at home, it may be tempting to respond to every ping from your phone or email immediately, but making this a habit will not help you in the in the long run.

You can turn off email notifications to allow you to concentrate on the task at hand without distraction, then only go through your email every hour or two.

Find a routine that you enjoy and adhere to it

Creating a routine when working from home is important.

A consistent start time, breaks for physical movement throughout the working day and a time when is when work ends are essential. Following a schedule and creating a structure around your work schedule will make you more efficient.

"If I have three massages booked in I’ll stop them one after the other, I will also keep a set schedule with time for coffee breaks, lunch and other obligations."

Each morning, she take the time to ask yourself questions like "What are the objectives or milestones I must accomplish today?" and "What’s going through my head this moment? ".

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

Write down three things you are grateful for everyday and attempt to make your to-do list the night before or early in the morning. This can help you get in a state of mind and help you feel more at relaxed.

Advocate for your own mental health

When you’re working from home it is possible to go the whole day without seeing anyone else, which means you need to know how to become an advocate for your mental health by practicing self-care.

Be realistic about the work you are able to accomplish especially if you’re at home with your children, and make sure you take regular breaks to replenish your energy.

Research has shown that after the SARS quarantine period, some people were exhibiting signs of mental distress, so taking the time to talk with your loved ones, family members and clients is crucial.