Working from home is a dream come true! When you make the decision to leave the stability of a regular job, you are finally able to become successful on your own terms. While working from home is a fantastic way to boost self-confidence and be your own boss, it does come with some pitfalls; such as learning how to manage family and work from home at the same time. There may be some trickery involved with this so-called balancing of life and work, but you can do it and today we will discuss some suggestions on how you can manage family and work from home without stressing.
Know When to Shut Your Work Brain Off
When you work from home, it is entirely possible that your “work brain” is on 24/7. The key to learning how to manage family and work from home is shutting that work brain off. The best way to teach your work brain shut to shut off is to create “business hours” and stick to them! Decide on what hours work best for your family and scheduling needs, and then create the hours you will operate work from home. Be very strict about those hours, unless an emergency situation arises of course. If your work from home day has ended, do not check emails and do not reply to clients. Use this non-work time as a means to connect fully with your family only. Make sure your family is aware of your working hours, so they don’t interrupt you either. We decided that between the hours of 4p-8p EST, I would focus on the family and stay away from the phone or the computer. I’ve had to train my clients as well.
Don’t Mix Business and Pleasure
Working from home in a private office that is located within the four walls you call home sweet home could enable you to mix a little business with pleasure. Don’t do it! As a means to make sure your “work brain” is on when working and your “family brain” is on when it’s family time; never combine the two subjects within your work space. Keep your work space designated only for the purpose of completing tasks for clients and other work from home priorities. Use a separate computer and office area for personal computer use, as a means to allow your mind to not confuse work from home and family time. We used to allow my son to do his homework on my work computer, but then I found myself sneaking on to check email or Facebook when he was done. We set-up my husband’s laptop in a designated area for my son and daughter to complete their computer homework time, and it helps us stay focused.
Schedule Dates with Family
Most people choose to work from home as a means to have more family time, create a schedule that allows for dates with your family. Be it your spouse or children; have fun scheduling a date with them during the middle of business hours, such as a lunch date for your work from home lunch break. Whether you leave the house or not, scheduling dates with your family will break up your work from home day and allow your family to feel important. I love having the freedom to go on lunch dates with my husband in the middle of the day, while the kids are in school.
No matter what you choose to do for a work from home business, you can learn how to manage family and work, even while your family is home during your office hours. The key to being successful in managing your family and work from home is to make sure you have both set at high priority levels. The reason for working from home usually stems from within as a means to encourage a tighter bond with your family, so utilize this unique experience as a means to grow as an entrepreneur and a family. You will soon see that your home is full of happiness when you use the above tips on how to balance family and work from home.
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