There are many people who are being brave and setting up a business from home, crafty businesses making things, catering businesses from home and internet based companies. All of these people are now facing trouble in terms of space and time. Business who are based at home will need a bit of space and certainly require time which can be difficult if there are family and children to take care of. However, many people see the benefits of flexibility and being able to work as and when the business requires although this can leave people feeling very stretched.
Here are some tips for small businesses run from home to help alleviate some of the stresses and pressure.
Tip one: Create the space. This will be difficult in a kitchen based company but otherwise you must find the space for your equipment and storage for any files, receipts and general business requirement. A computer is usually part of a home run business and you can store most things on-line or in a back up storage memory unit. Even a kitchen or work shop based firm will need some records of their business and so most will use computers to store this information. It is not just simply finding space for you equipment though, at home it means reducing your personal items, clearing out old wardrobes and cupboards and maximizing space. Good storage in your home is a good place to start or even hiring a storage unit. Try getting rid of anything you do not need or use, car boot sales, charity and storage should take care of the space issue leaving your home feeling uncluttered and functional.
Tip two: Time. If only there were more hours in the day! There will be times when deadlines approach and if you are not completely on top of your game you may fail to complete your work or upset your home and family. Either way getting the balance of this right is essential. Your family will always come first but so does paying the bills. You must look at time the same way you balance the books with money. Add up how many spare business hours you can actually give to your business then if your work hours are increasing you must look at roping in family or professional help with things like food shopping or school runs but do not lose sight of your family. Have a limit in terms of hours in which you want to spend in quality time with your family and do not intrude on this time. Find alternatives like even hiring a temporary person to help you as and when you need support with your business. This can mean expanding your business and having a good quality family time is still possible.
It may seem like taking the time to have a clear out and organise your time better is too much work but once it is done it will make your day-to-day running of a home business much easier for everyone involved. A home business is not just a business or a home it must have space and time for both.
