Running your small business at home: How to prepare yourself success

Strategies to run your small-scale business from your home

How can you set yourself up for success while running a small business from home? Here are some helpful tips.

Although flexibility can be advantageous, it’s often all too easy to reply to emails at home or during family time. In addition to requiring one’s attention, it can create expectations of availability. It can also be harder to relax and lessen stress.

How can you stay clear of all this?

Make your workspace more creative

A great tip for working from home is to clearly distinguish the work space from your home.

A space dedicated only to work is critical, as the physical distance could cause mental isolation which makes it easier to switch off when the day has ended. Finding a desk, the right office chair, and a storage system will help set you up to be successful.

Also, we suggest taking the time to make your workplace look and feel inviting. And research suggests personalising your workspace can be a good way to increase your productivity.

"I have a huge house with a kitchen that has plenty of space for my food and other supplies. It’s my personal sanctuary. It smells amazing and I’m in full control on the songs!"

Incorporating a bit of creativity into your work environment could make a huge impact.

"I’ve made my office space one which I love being in. There’s a string of bright red roses arranged around the table behind my computer. I place all our massive feather costumes on the floor so that I can see them. I have a blanket that my mom made for me to sit on my chair."

When you’re working from home in the midst of a pandemic, these little amenities can be the difference.

Copy your work environment’s norms

While some might let work to take over their home life a little, it’s best to be strict about not letting this occur. That means no laptop on the kitchen table and no packing orders in the living area.

Having boundaries in place helps to maximize the value of your time working at home.

We need to emulate the boundaries that we’d face in our regular workplace. For instance, you’d not respond to email notifications popping up having a face-to face meeting with a customer or an employee which is why you shouldn’t do this in a Zoom meeting.

While working from home, it could be tempting to check every phone call or email notifications immediately. However, doing this isn’t going to be helpful in the long run.

You can turn off email notifications so that you can focus on the task at hand and not be distracted. Then, only check your inbox once every half an hour or less.

Find a routine that is a good fit for you and keep it up to date

The ability to establish a routine while working from home can be very crucial.

A consistent start time, breaks for physical movement during the work day and a time when works is finished, are all vital. Staying on a consistent schedule and creating a structure around your tasks for the day can make you more efficient.

"If I have three massages booked, I will block them one after the other, I will also keep a set schedule with time for lunch breaks, coffee breaks and other needs."

Every day, she will pose important questions, such as "What are the goals or milestones I need to accomplish today?" and "What’s in my head currently? ".

Certain people are drawn to routine and find doing daily gratitude tasks to be beneficial.

Note three things you are thankful for every day, and attempt to make your to-do list at night or at the beginning of the morning. This can help you get in a state of mind and make you feel at in a relaxed state.

Make sure you are an advocate for your mental health

If you work from home it is possible to go all day without having to see anyone else, which means you need to know how to advocate for your well-being by practicing self-care.

Be realistic about the work you can get done, especially if you are at home with your children, and have proper breaks to replenish your energy.

Research shows that, following the SARS quarantine period, some people had signs of psychological distress, so taking the time to talk with your loved ones, family members and clients is crucial.