Working from home

If you’ve never run a business from home, you may imagine rising leisurely at 9 a.m., having coffee while watching “The View,” working for an hour or two (in your pajamas, of course) and then meeting a friend for a leisurely lunch…

The reality of working from home is quite different. If you want your business to succeed, you’ll need to give it the kind of attention you would if you were starting up in an office. But in the home-based setting, noisy neighbors, family members and the nearness of the TV or refrigerator can all add up to a lot of distractions that detract from your business. Here are 5 steps to eliminating distractions:

1. Choose the right setup. If possible, locate your home office in a guest house, converted garage or separate room with a door you can close. If you don’t have that much space, it’s still important to create a dedicated area for your business. Can you use a screen to partition off a corner of your bedroom? Can you buy a computer hutch that folds out to function as a desk while you work, then closes up at night?
2. Get equipped. Don’t try to run your business off the family’s computer. You could put important business files at risk if, say, your son accidentally downloads a virus while gaming. Buy a computer dedicated solely to your business. Consider a laptop, so you can easily work in various areas of the house. Install a separate phone line as well, so you won’t have to share the phone and can be sure it’s always answered in a professional manner. (Separate business equipment is also important if you plan to deduct any of your home-based business’s expenses on your taxes.)
3. Set boundaries. It’s important to set ground rules with your neighbors and family. Once you’re home all day, you may find your wife calling you all day long to remind you of things to do around the house, or your elderly neighbor stopping by every morning to chat. Kindly but firmly let them know that although you’re home, you’re there to work. It can help to set regular hours so that people know to leave you alone between, say, 8 a.m. and 3 p.m.
4. Watch the kids. Many entrepreneurs start home-based businesses so they can spend more time with their children. While it is possible to take care of your children while working, there’s no way you can work at full capacity while doing so. Many parents use the hours while kids are in school to focus on complex business tasks, then do “busy work” such as filing or packing orders after the kids are home. If your kids are not yet in school, you will need some type of day-care for at least part of the day. If you know other home-based entrepreneurs in the same situation, consider setting up a child-care co-op. Each of you takes turns watching all the children one day a week. You will only be able to work on your business 4 days a week, but you’ll get a lot more done during those 4 days.
5. Find your focus. Some entrepreneurs are their own worst enemies, unable to resist the lure of the refrigerator, the TV set or IM-ing buddies. If you’re one of them, physically remove yourself from temptations. Don’t work at the kitchen table or on the living room couch. Set small goals for yourself, such as working on X project for one full hour, and then give yourself small rewards (a 10-minute coffee break or walk around the block).