NFIB

Avoiding Poor Home-Based Business Habits
02/ 17/ 2003

by Jeffrey Moses

When working alone as the sole owner of a home-based business, you have to be your own supervisor. That means you'll want to be strict and fair with yourself and avoid the following habits that can be easy to slip into when you work for yourself, by yourself.

Taking unnecessary breaks during work hours.

These often include watching TV "just for a minute, to catch up on the news," calling a friend to chat, talking with neighbors or family members, playing computer games or browsing the Internet. Each of these can eat up time, turning an eight-hour day into a five-hour day. Discipline yourself to be conscientious and devoted to making the most of your valuable time.

Starting work late in the morning.

If you worked at an office, you'd have to be there by eight or nine o'clock. Don't allow yourself to take an overly leisurely breakfast, reading the paper until ten or later. Along the same lines, it's far too easy for home-based workers to stop work early in the day, missing valuable time. Even if you reach a good stopping point, do what an office worker would do with the extra time--catch up on phone calls, emails and filing.

Putting off important but difficult projects.

Find a system that lets you finish the tasks you dread. For example, try to complete your hardest work first thing in the day, when you are most alert. Once you find a schedule that works, the important thing is to stick to it.

Allowing friends or family members to interrupt you constantly.

You're a sitting target when you work at home, especially for children. But it's vital to think of your time as valuable--and to guard it. You have to make friends and family members understand that you're not just lying around. You're working and can't be interrupted.

Taking business casual to new extremes.

While working in your pajamas might sound comfortable, it can actually dull your attention and contribute to a feeling of non-professionalism. While you don't need to purchase expensive suits for your at-home workday, dress in a way that would make you comfortable if a client popped in for an unannounced visit.

Developing unhealthy habits.

Unlike an office worker, you don't have co-workers to cover for you if you get sick. Take a break to eat a healthy lunch during your workday, and don't get in the habit of keeping fatty snacks or alcoholic beverages at your workstation. Set up an exercise schedule and stick to it. You'll be healthier and more productive if you do.

Working too hard.

While some home-based workers might be tempted to cut their days short, it's far more common for them to work late into the night, every night including weekends. In the end, this can be counterproductive in terms of added stress and fatigue, which may eventually reduce productivity.

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