Working from home is the dream of many, and as someone who has been successfully doing it for the last several years, I must say it is pretty sweet. There are so many awesome benefits, like making your own schedule, getting to work in your pajamas if you are so inclined (or nothing at all if that is how you roll) and, for many, being able to pretty much work from anywhere in the world. But, for those who do not do it the right way, the benefits of this lifestyle can become detriments that will lead to failure. Here are some tips to be a work-at-home success.
Get Clear on Your ‘’Why’’
There is a reason why we want the things we want, and getting clear on these reasons, is important for providing the motivation to do what we need to do to get where we want to be. Whether you are a freelance writer, working an MLM, or running your own website, there is a reason , and likely several, you wanted to have a job where you could work from home. You need to get crystal clear on these reasons and go deep—I kind of think of it as the reasons behind the reasons. If you want a flexible schedule, why? If you want more freedom in your working life, why? If you want to spend more time with your kids, why?
When you are the one calling the shots and no one is breathing down your neck to get stuff done, it is all too easy to get lazy and do nothing—after all, you have no one to answer to but yourself. As a freelance writer, I spend a lot of time online writing and researching—sometimes it feels like homework and I am not really feeling it for certain topics. But, if I did nothing every single time I felt like this, I would fall behind on my work and not meet deadlines—this means unhappy clients who easily decide they no longer need my services-services that allow me to live my dream life of traveling the world long-term. If you are starting an online business, it may be awhile before you make money and there are lots of things you need to do to lay the foundation; you may not get immediate financial rewards and you will feel like giving up sometimes. But, when you are clear on your why, you will keep going.
Set Some Sort of Schedule that Works for You
To be a work-at-home success, you need to set some sort of schedule for yourself; there is really no one best way to go about it. You need to find what works best for you based on other commitments you may have, and when you feel most motivated, for example. For me, I like to get all, or at least, most of my work done first thing in the morning. I have a hard time doing other stuff and knowing my work is still waiting for me when I get home. So, I find getting right to it after my morning meditation is best, unless I absolutely must be somewhere else at that time. The later in the day it gets, the less inclined I am to feel like working.
Image source: My Daily Blogging Routine Exposed
Make a List of What You Want to Accomplish that Day
Again, since you are the one calling the shots ,and there is no boss giving you assignments and telling you what needs to get done, it is up to you to decide what you will be working on each day. For me, that usually involves deciding how many articles I want to write for the day and for which clients, scouting sites for guest posts, updating client spreadsheets and the like. If you are running a home-based business, you need to be tending to things like writing blog posts, social networking and learning the ropes of internet marketing. I cannot tell you how much the simple act of writing out a list has improved my work-at-home efforts. It creates order and gives you focus. Maybe you may not get to everything on the list each day—that is okay. But, if you make it a regular habit, you will be amazed at how this one little thing can make you so much more efficient and motivated.
Kelli Cooper is a freelance writer who enjoys sharing tips on how to be successful when working from home; if you are looking for resources for your business, she recommends you check out Aviva for a quality listing of informative websites for all aspects of business.