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Operating a Home Office: Things to Avoid
Things to Avoid: #1 Overstocking Your Kitchen
When operating a home office it's easy to overstock your kitchen
with taste treats. Nearly 80% of entrepreneurs that work from
their home have selected an area in the house that isn't more
than three feet from the kitchen area. This makes the temptation
of indulging in sweets unbearable for most.
The solution is to not buy sweet treats and stay with healthy
snacks. If you don't have them in your kitchen, you won't be
able to snack on non-healthy treats. It only makes sense!
Overstocking your kitchen with non-healthy treats also adds to
your waistline. Have you ever wondered where "Secretarial
Spread" comes from? Well...the answer is overeating while
working. When you do have a small meal or snack, eat it at the
kitchen table. Avoid eating at your desk at all cost.
Things to Avoid: #2 Neglecting Housework and Hobbies
Entrepreneurs often find that operating a home office impacts
household responsibility. Even the hobbies we loved doing seam
to be pushed aside, and soon we begin to evaluate the value of
working from home. It's important to remember that there must be
a "perfect balance" with work responsibilities and home
obligations. If you learn to prioritize your life, things
operate smoother.
Take mini breaks. Ever 45-minutes stretch and walk away from
your computer. Reach over, click your voice mail on, and choose
a room to dust. Take a deep breath and relax. By the time
15-minutes have passed, you've accomplished one household chore
and relieved a little tension.
Schedule time for yourself, join a
health club, pick up a
ceramic class, or join the PTA. Whatever you do, stay faithful
to that time. Keeping a smile on your face is just as important
as keeping your clients happy.
Being successful takes time. It takes time to learn how to
organize your schedule. It takes time to learn how to be and do
it all. Operating a home office doesn't need to be as stressful
as you think.
Things to Avoid: #3 Paperwork Backup
I find the most difficult thing to avoid is paperwork backup.
Because I work alone it is difficult to complete everything in
one day. There is a pile for new clients, current clients,
follow ups, to be filed, accounts receivables, and accounts
payables. Ideally, you should file your paperwork as it is
completed.
Being organized means that you have a file cabinet and a system
to manage your office, but that too takes time. Most of us don't
expect to be as successful as we become. Soon we find ourselves
buried under a pile of paperwork with a surprised look on our
face.
To eliminate paperwork backup, box up things accordingly. Once a
document has been recorded, filed in the appropriate folder, and
finished box up your documents and put them away. Mark the box
by the type of item. For instance, 2005 Accounts Receivables or
2005 Expenses.
About the author:
Diane M Hess provides outsourcing services for ebusiness
professionals. Her goal is to assist them with developing
business concepts that will aid them in excelling in the virtual
industry. Visit http://www.hbpassociates.biz or read her Blog at
http://www.ebusinessprofessionals.blogspot.com.
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