3 Tips To (*Successfully) Working From Home

A 2019 Gallup survey found that 43 percent of Americans work from home occasionally. U.S. Census data indicates that 5.2% of U.S. workers — approximately 8 million people — completely worked from home in 2017.

Add to that the 15 million people The Bureau of Labor Statistics defines as self-employed and the millions of others participating in the Gig Economy, and you have a pile of people earning money from their domicile. 

The problem for many people who work from home or aspire to run a homegrown business: bad habits and practices. 

Here are tips I’ve learned in three decades of operating a home-based enterprise.

Designate Your Work Space

From the time I was a sales rep fresh out of college until today, I’ve had a designated office in my house. You should too. 

I know open office concepts are trendy but the science runs counter to the concept. People can’t produce to their potential when surrounded by noise and distractions. Therefore, you must establish a work space on your property and make it the world headquarters of Me Inc.  When you go to your designated space, you focus on building your business. It’s a mindset and a discipline thing. Do it!

You’re saying, “But I don’t have room!” Yes you do.  

Your formal dining room hasn’t been used since Uncle Jimmy started the family feud years ago at Easter dinner. Convert it to productive office space.  Have a storage room?  You’re never going to use that crap, so purge the space and relocate your business. Better yet, turn your college kid’s room into your new office suite. That’ll guarantee he won’t boomerang and live with you til he’s 40.  

Look Like A Business

Now that you have a designated work space, make it look like a business. A place that inspires you to show up and work and a place your clients would be proud to do business with.  

Start by fully converting the space to fuel your business’s fire.  

My office has calendars tracking my travel and speaking engagements, and white boards for capturing creative bursts.  There are studio lights and equipment for video production.  Shelves  hold marketing materials and books I’ve written.  There’s always a pile of packages prepped for shipment to clients and prospects.  

Businesses have business cards, websites, social media presence, promotional materials, logos, and most importantly — a good or service to sell. Just because you’re home-based, doesn’t preclude the requirement that you have those things. 

Work Like A Business 

You’ve got the space, you’ve got the look, now it’s time to go to work. Treat your business like a business. 

Businesses make phone calls to clients, prospects, and vendors. None of those calls are taken seriously if Sportscenter is playing in the background. Likewise, the sound of yipping dogs or your children’s video games being overheard on calls erodes your business’s legitimacy. Not to mention, you can’t possibly focus if those things are happening.  

Good business people respond to emails in a timely manner. They schedule appointments and stick to the appointed time. Keep those meetings productive by setting an agenda and clearly identifying the objective you seek. 

Successful business people work with purpose, whether it’s from the home office or the corner office.  

Working From Home (*Successfully)  

The Gig Economy is here to stay. Entrepreneurial opportunity is as wide open as it has ever been. You can build — or at least start — your business success story from home. But you won’t do so sitting on the exercise bike in your living room wearing your pajamas thumbing through Instagram on your phone telling yourself you’re “working.”  

At age 25, Damian Mason chucked his sales job to start his own enterprise. Damian is a keynote speaker, author, podcaster, farm owner, and home-based business person. Find him at www.damianmason.com 

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