One of the biggest challenges for people who work at home is scheduling.
Let's face it, working from home gives us all kinds of excuses to not do our work.
Sleeping in, cleaning, doing household chores, watching television or just lazing outside in the hammock are just a few of the things that can throw our schedule off and create bad habits.
In order to run a home based business, you have to run it just like any other business.
That means creating a schedule that works for you on a daily basis and sticking to it.
If you were working from a company's office, you would be expected to work from 9am-5pm in most cases.
If you work at home, this should apply to you as well.
You might not have to work by someone else's rules, but you still have to work.
Perhaps you enjoy working at night.
You could put in your hours at night and sleep during the day.
That's the benefit of working from home! You might have to work, but you can do it when you want.
Schedule your own break times, lunch hour and stick to it.
The important thing is creating a routine.
People are creatures of habit, and once you've made it a habit to work at a certain hour, it becomes second nature.
If other things pop up, such as a doctor appointment, try not to give in to the urge to make it during your regular working hours.
Schedule it as if you were going to a 'regular' job, and make it before or after hours.
Creating a calendar is also a good idea.
You can do this on your PC or on paper.
Mark down appointments and upcoming events.
That way you never forget and are always on time.
Remember to schedule in a day or two of rest time too.
You need to take a break in order to stave off burnout.
Nothing will hurt your business as badly as not being able to work for a week because you've burned yourself out.
Finally, sock away a little bit of pay each week.
Pay yourself for vacations.
Unlike a 'regular' job, there are no scheduled vacation days.
You're responsible for doing that yourself.
Make sure you have the cash to take a week or two...
or three off from your job.
Working from home has its advantages.
You're in control, but be aware that you still require a scheduled, structured work place in order to function properly.