Business As Usual…
Posted by SHEMA Gurls on
March 19, 2009
Having a home business or owning a personal business, with a family, daily routines and errands, it can become rather grueling. As we take on the task of opening shop, living dreams and setting goals, we really need to set time aside for ourselves to recoup from the day to day demands of running, upkeep and success of the biz.
Work from home professionals encounter a variety of stressful situations. Work from home job stress can decrease work productivity, cause health problems and increase the chances of job burnout. These tips will help reduce work from home job stress. To keep business as usual.
Some things that may help:
Plan Daily
It is important to plan daily for deadlines and tasks that need to be completed. Make lists and prioritize them to help reduce work at home job stress. Mark the list when tasks are complete.
Allow Time
Often work from home job stress is caused by tasks taking longer then expected. When setting up daily tasks, allow plenty of time. Allow plenty of time for appointments, meetings and deliveries. Having to rush through jobs will increase stress and decrease efficiency and customer service.
Take Time to Eat
Its difficult to concentrate and make wise decisions when one is hungry. The body cannot focus well. Eat small, high protein snacks during working hours to maintain energy. Employees at traditional jobs get lunch and dinner hours. It is important for work from home employees to take similar eating breaks during working hours.
Exercise
Take a brisk walk in the morning to plan the day can be both relaxing and important. The body metabolism speeds up after exercise. Walking in the morning will increase energy for the next several hours. During the middle of working hours, take time to walk around, stretch and become more alert.
Take Time to Relax and Sleep
Take time at the end of working hours to relax. It is important to get regular sleep and to relax each day. It is difficult to concentrate when the body is tired. Work production decreases when employees are sluggish.
Now We Ask You:
~ What do you do to relieve stress of working from home?
~ Do you have something to share that may help our readers?
~ Do you have proper space in your home for the work you do?
~ Are you happy with deciding in becoming your own boss?
~ How does working from home help or affect you family?
All comments will be added to an upcoming show on Blog Talk Radio. Your views are appreciated.
~ Your S-H-E-M-A Team ~
2 Responses to “Business As Usual…”
I have a 10 X 6 work area that I’ve used for the last three years. During the evening, it serves as video game arcade for the boys
Being your own boss is both rewarding and an adventure. The adventure begins as you begin to learn about yourself and others. Coming from corporate America, some people are temporarily empowered because they may have titles like supervisor, manager or VP. This power gives you the impression that you are in control, but you are not. You are compelled to do your job because of the fear of being fired. Your workers do their jobs for the same reason in addition to having aspirations to becoming a “powerful” person just like you.
However, as soon as you leave your corporate throne and walk outside the building, you become a mortal again and your susceptible to fears and stereotypes from all directions. The next hurdle home-based business owners face is defining their goals and expectations. Again, most people’s goals and expectations are established by bosses and corporate objectives. So the new home-based biz owner has to determine, how many contacts, how many presentations, how many follow ups, how many signed contracts does it take to earn enough money to replace salaried income. The great part is Mr or Ms Biz Owner can control the most important variable…which is the number of contacts. Without contacts to whom to market, all the other numbers are zero.
There are other things to also consider, but the greatest, the most mysterious variable in making your home-based venture successful is believing in yourself. Often the most handsome guy or the most beautiful woman suddenly does not believe in himself/herself. The product is not important in your business venture…You are. You can have the hottest product, but if your belief in yourself is low, you might as well have the worst product.
Finally, business ownership has given me the opportunity to spend more times with my boys and to be there during sports practices and to NOTICE things and changes in their behavior that I might have noticed if I were working 12 hours per day. It’s a tradeoff working for yourself, but it’s a beautiful thing if you can pull it off.
By Clarence on Mar 25, 2009
Some of the things I do to relieve stress include listening to relaxation music, getting away from the computer for a time, and ending time on the computer early–though this doesn’t always pan out like clockwork. Believe it or not, soft classical music is very sooothing. Plus soft classical music helps relax you if you’re having problems sleeping. There’s always the bubblebath with the arometherapy (or similar) candles. There are times when a change of routine is needed. For instance, don’t get on the computer until the afternoon and make some telephone calls for three hours in the morning.
What I’ve learned when it comes to operating a business from home is that there are only 24 hours in one day. Do what you can and can what you do. When there seems to be a lot on your plate and you feel overwhelmed, STOP. If there’s a lot to do and you can’t find your way around all the paperwork in front of you, STOP (but not for too long; procrastination has a way of creeping in).
The playroom in the back part of my home is my home office. But beware whether there is enough or just enough space. What I and many work-at-home individuals face is the paper pile up. It’s so easy to have and so difficult to clear out. Though you might be able to find what you need, eventually there comes a time when you have to re-occupy your space.
In spite of the challenges becoming my own boss was the best decision I made. The freedom cannot be put into words unless you’re doing it yourself. It can be stressful when you don’t get that regular pay; you all know exactly what I’m talking about. However, all the nonsense, gossip, etc. you do not have to deal with–pure heaven and priceless. You get to go to certain events while everyone else is doing the “nine to five.” Just that last sentence makes people jealous.
It’s great my family supports me; the discussions regarding finances can be a bit heated. And the talks about “when are you going to get a regular job” can be tense. When it boils down to it, they can see and do understand that strides are made. The only other challenges are the interruptions. At times families/friends don’t understand that just because you’re working from home DOES NOT mean you’re available all the time. When you have a “flow”, that’s more than likely when the “interruption” happens. I do what I can to watch what I say and continue saying “This will all pay off, after EVERYTHING that I’ve been through.”
By Amber on Mar 27, 2009