Often I hear people say they want a business where they can work from home and set their own hours. It sounds wonderful, work at your own pace, when you want, in your own home. Following are 5 important considerations before making the decision to start a home based business.
- Do you have the discipline to focus on your work when at home? It’s easy to get distracted at home where there are multiple chores that always seem to appear. Often people find that when they don’t want to do something, they find all kinds of reasons to do “other” things like – clean the house, bake cookies, or sort out the garage. If you find yourself drifting into this pattern, it’s best to bring yourself back to reality and shift your focus back to your business.
- Can you set goals and follow them? When working from home you will need to set goals – short-term and long-term. Otherwise, it’s easy to get off track and lose sight of where you are headed. Keep a detailed calendar and set goals daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annually. Start with the annual goal and work backward. Revisit your goals weekly or monthly and readjust as needed.
- Do you have a quiet space set aside for work? If you have small children, pets, or other distractions that can create background noise it can be difficult to concentrate and stay focused. In addition, if your home based business dictates that you will be on the phone, background noise can seem unprofessional and you may lose clients. Set aside a quiet space to work where noise and distractions can be kept at a minimum.
- Consider where you will meet with clients in person. A home office is not usually a good space for meeting clients. This obviously depends upon the location and set up of the home. If your business requires meeting clients in person, you might want to consider leasing an office space on a part-time or full time basis. There are some great cooperatives that will lease small space, share a space and even a conference room. You may even run in to someone that does not use their office full-time and you could work something out to use the space when they are not in the office. There is also the option of meeting at a local coffee shop or restaurant.
- Do the other people who live in your home support your business goals? When you own a business, it affects your family and everyone that lives in the home. Even more so if the business is home based. Be sure you have their support before taking on a business in your home. There will be times when you are home working and they may think since you are home, you are not working. It’s best to set aside times when you will be working each day and make sure everyone knows when that will be.
Working from home has many advantages, including setting your own hours, flexible schedules, casual dress, and no or little commute time. I’ve talked with people that love working from home and they wouldn’t change a thing; on the other hand, I’ve talked with people who feel the need to go to an office and work a set amount of hours so they can focus on their work without distractions. Be sure to do your homework and consider your work style, individual preferences, and those who live with you before bringing your business home.
There are many excellent choices for home based business opportunities and franchises. Contact us for information on choosing the best business for you.