Is a Home Office Right for You?
Thousands of people operate successful distributorships out
of their homes. They do so for different
reasons, but nearly all of them say that the practice is both convenient and
profitable. A home office situation can offer you many advantages over
conventional office environments, such as more freedom, more flexibility, and
the opportunity to be at home with family.
If
you want to make it work, you have to have discipline and you have to make your
office a designated workspace -- even if it is in your bedroom or the kitchen.
Put it in a place where you like to be. If your basement is dark and dreary,
it's likely you're not going to enjoy working there. Bottom line...
use the room that will be most conducive to getting work done. The
designated work space should be well-organized and in a quiet location away
from the distractions that being at home will always have-- the refrigerator,
TV, children, lawn work, dishes in the sink... you name it. For most people who
successfully work at home, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Let’s
look at a few of each.
Just walking around
the corner or up the stairs is a pretty easy way to conduct business. You save
time and eliminate stress by not having a congested commute to an office; and
you save in gas, wear and tear on your car.
Besides lowering
travel costs, people who office from their residence eliminate the need to rent
or purchase office space. They are also able to do away with hassles related to
landlords.
People
who work at home are often more productive because they benefit from being able
to work when they are most productive.
Doing work on the weekends and in the evening is easier when your business tools
are only steps away. If you remain
disciplined, you can adjust your working schedule to best meet your personal
obligations.
When combined with
proper disciple, people who work at home tend to live a more balanced life. Not
only can they eat a better diet that includes less fat food, but also they have
more opportunities to get physical exercise when needed mentally. A more
relaxing work environment also reduces stress.
When a home and
business exist together, there is obviously less space available for you and
the rest of the family. To overcome this problem, boundaries must be defined
and adhered to by all parties.
If you have problems
staying motivated or handling distractions, a home office may not be for you.
It takes a concerted effort to separate your free time from your work time
because your work is always “there.” On the days when you begin to feel
isolated because you’re always home alone, it’s time to go out and make sales
calls.
You have to be
prepared to meet clients in your home. If this is a problem, you need to find
an alternative meeting place such as conference room at an executive suite, or
at a restaurant for lunch or coffee to discuss business. The easiest solution
is to always go to your client. That’s also the most accommodating and
convenient approach.
You must be organized
to succeed in home office settings.
Failure will follow if you are prone to leaving important documents in
places where you cannot easily retrieve them. You’ll also have less
administrative and managerial support than you’d have in a conventional office
situation.
If you’ve now decided that you have what it takes to run
your distributorship from your home, here are some pointers to help make the
operation a success.
The most ideal
setting is one that physically separates you as much as possible from other
family members. In our case, we turned an upstairs den into an office by
installing counter tops and phone stations. This room was large enough to
accommodate an assistant, the necessary filing cabinets and me. My wife turned
another bedroom into her office.
Action Step: If you don’t want to invest in an expensive
desk, you can create one by purchasing an unfinished wooden door. After painting it, lay the door across the tops of two filing
cabinets (one at each end) to create a flat surface. Not only do you have a work surface, but you
also have places to file correspondence. Buy a comfortable desk chair on
rollers and a carpet protector, if you’re on carpet, and you’re ready to go.
2. Create a screen
If you can’t dedicate
an entire room to your office, you can use an office divider between your desk
and other parts of the room that is used by others. Have an understanding with family members
that this certain area of the house is reserved for you during certain times.
Action Step; Buy an
erasable board and hang it on the divider or the kitchen wall. When you need to use a certain part of the
home for business, write that time on the board with an erasable marker. In order to be fair, offer this same option
to other family members.
The ability to find
things when needed is essential if you are going to run a successful business.
One effective strategy is to create files for everything. Whether it’s an
invoice or a catalog, all documents need a proper place in your office.
Action Step: If you
have limited space for filing cabinets, you can purchase plastic or paper file
boxes or bins at office supply or discount stores. These make excellent
receptacles for everything from files and catalogs to office supplies and
promotional product samples.
Just as people do in
traditional office settings, set and maintain regular office hours. Try to arrive and depart from your work area
at consistent times. That way you’ll remain fresh and be less likely to work
too many hours. You’ll make fewer mistakes and avoid “burnout.”
Action Step: This structure even applies to work done on
the weekend. If you need to catch up on things, plan to do this on Saturdays at
certain times, say from 9:00AM until 12:00PM.
Make every effort to stay on your schedule.
The best way to do
business around children is by giving them a small task. Pay them for small
jobs so they can feel like a part of your efforts. Even elementary aged
children can be taught to open mail, file certain things, or complete other
small assignments.
Action Step: When our
younger daughter turned thirteen, we gave her the job of making follow-up calls.
She was mature enough to do so; and her efforts generated several nice sales.
As an additional result, she’s working on a college degree in Marketing.
Many people put
themselves needlessly at risk by thinking that their homeowner’s policy covers
business-related damages. Since most
policies cover only a small amount of them, it’s essential that you add
additional coverage to protect yourself.
Action Step: Don’t ever put off the
question of insurance. If you aren’t
taking steps to address this situation, do so immediately by calling your
insurance agent.
There is no better way to go out of
business than by being sued.
Finally, to have more time for business, organize and
simplify household routines. Start by holding a garage sale to get rid of
unnecessary possessions. Next, have a family conference and divide household
duties, making sure each person does his or her part. Then set up a planning
notebook to keep track of appointments, things to do, calls
to make, errands to run, shopping, etc. By adhering to a work schedule, you
won't get sidetracked by TV, neighbor's visits, snacking, and telephone calls.
Operating a home business is a wonderful and rewarding challenge. The
satisfaction is not only in the money earned, but also in doing what makes you
happy.