Overcoming the Top Home Office Woes
Oct 28th, 2008 by admin
Working from home is a dream come true for most individuals. For entrepreneurs, it can be a double-edged sword. While efficient, low-cost and free from hardcore office politics, a home office can turn out to be a challenging environment. Below are some of the top home office woes and specific ways to overcome the challenges.
Interruptions: Let’s face it. People take you less seriously when you work from home. That’s just the way it is. They forget that you really do have a job. In fact, they think it is perfectly acceptable to stop by whenever they feel like it and call you twenty times throughout the day to tell you about absolutely nothing. Not so! Unfortunately, you cannot ignore these interruptions as they will never go away. You must be blunt and explain to those who forget you are employed that unless it is an emergency or absolutely critical, they must wait until after hours to call or stop by. Explain to them that you are working harder than ever – because you are working for yourself.
Household Chores: Just because you work from home does not mean that all the household chores should fall in your lap. And just because you are home does not mean you should be doing chores during your work schedule. You must draw a fine line between work time and cleaning time. Remind those around you that they still need to pitch in with household chores and that you are not the maid (or butler).
Bedroom Offices: Want to suck the pizzazz out of your love life or become the poster child for Stress-R-Us? Set up your office in the bedroom. You will soon discover that you never stop working or are constantly staring at your desk and computer. While a traditional office is the way to go, I’m also a big believer in setting up shop where you think you’ll be most productive. For some people that is a laptop in the living room or on a porch. While for others, closing the door behind them and shutting out all potential distractions allows them to work most favorably.
Disconnect: It is easy to feel disconnected from the outside world when working from home. But with the Internet you are never alone! There are ample opportunities to network and attend events – online. My favorite networking sites are LinkedIn and Twitter. To find online events suitable to your industry, check with national associations and expert bloggers. SmallBizTrends also has a great monthly calendar that you should bookmark. Remember to step outside often to get some fresh air.
Technology: Most home businesses are always a couple steps behind when it comes to technology. There is no IT department to turn to when things go wrong or to learn about recent upgrades, downloads, etc. So naturally the entrepreneur has to take time out from his or her busy schedule to tackle data backups, research new technologies and otherwise wear the IT hat. The smartest thing that you can do is only have what is necessary…required. If it is a fancy gadget or considered bells and whistles, you are best off without it. You should also consolidate the number of standalone machines. Consider buying a three-in-one printer, fax and copier. To get the most out of your Internet connection, have your cable or phone company set you up as a business account. This will ensure that you receive priority service should you experience an outage or technical malfunction. And what to do when things go seriously wrong? Start by doing some research online. For example you can often look up error codes and fixes via a simple Google search. If you end up at a loss, call a local expert.
Hi Crystal, thanks for noting the small business events calendar on my site. We are always looking for new events to enter there, as well.
Love the name of your site!
Let me know if I can help you with anything in the futur.
Anita
You are so welcome… Thanks for stopping by Anita!
Crystal
Now everyone is talking about the American economy and eclections, nice to read something different. Eugene
Oh boy can I relate to almost all of these. I try not to answer the phone while during “work hours”. If it’s important they can leave a message and i’ll pick up if I think I should at that time. Nice to read a blog that I can relate to.
I have only one minor gripe with what you wrote. One should not draw a fine line between doing business stuff and household chores. It should be a thick, neon-red line! Perhaps reinforced by some sort electrical barrier that gives you an annoying, if not painful, shock any time you wander across it!
For work-at-home moms or dads with small children, it may actually be cost-effective to hire a baby sitter or nanny to be in the house and watch the kiddies, even though you are at home. This makes them far less likely to interrupt you for every little fiddle-faddle.
So true! When I started my business, I was going to put the office in the basement but my wife suggested the bedroom, thinking she’d never see me if I set up in the basement. But with the office in the bedroom, I found I could not get away from it! I finally found an office a mile away, overlooking a marina. I share it with a buddy. It’s great. Enduring a home office for a few years makes me appreciate the away-from-home office all the more.