6 Easy Steps to Separating Your Personal Life from your Business

6 Easy Steps to Separating Your Personal Life from your Business

If you work from home, chances are you already know that you’re really pulling “double duty”. You probably work on your business while doing the laundry, corralling the kids, or fixing dinner… and let’s not forget all the phone calls from family and friends expecting you to run errands or just “go out” for an afternoon of fun.

One of the hardest parts of running a home business is separating your work from your family and social life. Here are six proven ways to keep your home life running smoothly while keeping your business on track.

1. First, create a work schedule and stick with it. It may be tempting to answer personal calls during the day or take business calls after-hours, but doing this actually shows that you’re expendable – not dependable – and people will take for granted that you’ll “always be there” for any little things that come up. Even though family comes first, stay true to your business hours and resist the urge to chat with friends or pick up groceries during working hours.

2. Your friends may consider “working from home” an invitation to chat during the day or just go out for coffee or shopping for an afternoon. Make it clear that your business hours are just that – for business. Leave personal calls for after-hours, and you’ll find that your friends will gradually accept your schedule without feeling slighted.

3. Just because you have to set up a work schedule, doesn’t mean that you have to keep the same hours as everyone else. One of the benefits of working for yourself is setting your own hours to fit your most productive times. Whether you’re an early bird or a night owl, you’ll find that you’ll get much more done when you’re attuned to your body’s own natural rhythms. Some people work in the morning, take a break in the afternoon when the kids are home from school, and work again in the evening. Schedule your work time when you feel the most productive and you’ll find that things get done easier, faster and better than when you were dragging along during those same rigid work hours that everyone else has.

4. If getting after-hours business calls or work day personal calls is a problem, it helps to have a separate business phone line, or at least an answering machine or voice mail, to take the incoming calls. This also gives your business a more professional appearance to clients than if you and your family make and receive calls from the same phone line.

5. If at all possible, try to separate your “home office” from the rest of your home. If you don’t have the luxury of a separate room, a room partition or screen can be just as helpful. This also serves as a visual cue to family that you’re working and shouldn’t be bothered.

6. Dress and act professionally while working. Some people find it helpful to dress in casual business attire during their working hours. This reinforces that just because you’re working from home doesn’t make you any less of a professional. Answer the phone with your name, or business name, and keep your children off the phone during business hours. Also, spend money investing in the tools you need to do your job right. A cell phone, fax machine or even a budget computer can help turn your home office into a true workspace.

If you follow all of these tips and stick with them, chances are you’ll find a routine that not only makes you feel productive and active in your business, but also projects the message that you mean business – literally!

================
Spin Ready
================

6 Easy {Steps|Pointers|Tips} to {Separating|Dividing} Your Personal Life from your {Business|Company}

If you {work|function} from {home|house|residence}, {chances|possibilities|opportunities} are you {already|currently} {know|understand} that you re {really|truly|actually} {pulling|drawing} {double|dual} {duty|responsibility|task|obligation}. You {probably|most likely|possibly} {work on|deal with|work with} your {business|company} while doing the {laundry|washing}, {corralling|confining} the {kids|children|youngsters|little ones}, or {fixing|repairing|taking care of|dealing with|correcting} {dinner|supper} … and {let|allow|permit} s not {forget|fail to remember|neglect} all the {phone calls|telephone call|call} from {family and friends|friends and family|friend and family} {expecting|anticipating} you to run {errands|duties|assignments} or {just|simply|merely} “{go out|head out}” for {an afternoon|a mid-day} of {fun|enjoyable}.

{One of|Among} the hardest {parts|components} of running {a home business|a home based business} is {separating|dividing} your {work|job} from your {family|household|family members} and {social life|socializing}. {Here|Right here|Below} are {six|6} {proven|tested} {ways|methods|means} to keep your {home|house|residence} life running {smoothly|efficiently|perfectly} while keeping your {business|company} {on track|on the right track}.

{1. {{First|Initially}, {create|produce|develop|make} {a work|a job} {schedule|routine|timetable} and {stick with it|stay with it|persevere}.|{Create|Produce|Develop|Make} {a work|a job} {schedule|routine|timetable} and stick with it.} It {may|might|could} be {tempting|appealing|alluring} to {answer|respond to|address} {personal|individual} {calls|phone calls|telephone calls} {during the day|throughout the day|in the day|within the day} or take {business|company} {calls|phone calls|telephone calls} after-hours, {but|however|yet} doing this {actually|really|in fact|effectively} {shows|reveals} that you re expendable not {dependable|reliable|trustworthy|reputable} and {people|individuals|folks} {will|will certainly} {take for|consider} {granted|given|provided} that you ll {always|constantly|consistently} be there for {any|any type of|any kind of|any sort of} little {things|points} that {come up|turn up|show up}. {Even though|Although|Despite the fact that} {family|household|family members} {comes first|precedes}, {stay|remain} {true|real} to your {business|company} {hours|hrs} and {resist|withstand|stand up to} {the urge|need} to {chat|talk} with {friends|buddies|pals|good friends|close friends} or {pick up|get|grab} {groceries|grocery stores} {during|throughout} {working|functioning} {hours|hrs}.|It {may|might|could} be {tempting|appealing|alluring} to {answer|respond to|address} {personal|individual} {calls|phone calls|telephone calls} {during|throughout} the day or take {business|company} {calls|phone calls|telephone calls} after-hours, {but|however|yet} doing this {actually|really|in fact|effectively} {shows|reveals} that you re expendable not {dependable|reliable|trustworthy|reputable} and {people|individuals|folks} {will|will certainly} take for {granted|given|provided} that you ll {always|constantly|consistently} be there for {any|any type of|any kind of|any sort of} little {things|points} that come up. {Even|Also} though {family|household|family members} comes {first|initially}, {stay|remain} {true|real} to your {business|company} {hours|hrs} and {resist|withstand|stand up to} the {urge|desire|impulse} to {chat|talk} with {friends|buddies|pals|good friends|close friends} or {pick|choose|select} up {groceries|grocery stores} {during|throughout} {working|functioning} {hours|hrs}.}

{2. Your {friends|buddies|pals|good friends|close friends} {may|might|could} {consider|think about|take into consideration} {working|functioning} from {home|house|residence} {an invitation|an invite} to {chat|talk} {during the day|throughout the day|in the day|within the day} or {just|simply|merely} go out for coffee or {shopping for|looking for|searching for|buying|purchasing} {an afternoon|a mid-day}. Make it clear that your {business|company} {hours|hrs} are {just|simply|merely} that for {business|company}. Leave {personal|individual} {calls for|require|ask for} after-hours, and you ll {find|discover|locate} that your {friends|buddies|pals|good friends|close friends} will {gradually|slowly|progressively|steadily} {accept|approve} your {schedule|routine|timetable} without {feeling|really feeling} slighted.|Your {friends|buddies|pals|good friends|close friends} {may|might|could} {consider|think about|take into consideration} {working|functioning} from {home|house|residence} {an invitation|an invite} to {chat|talk} {during|throughout} the day or {just|simply|merely} go out for coffee or {shopping|buying|purchasing} for {an afternoon|a mid-day}. Make it clear that your {business|company} {hours|hrs} are {just|simply|merely} that for {business|company}.}

{3. {Just|Simply|Merely} {because|since|due to the fact that|considering that} you {have to|need to} {set up|establish} {a work|a job} {schedule|routine|timetable}, doesn t {mean|imply|indicate|suggest} that you {have to|need to} keep the {same|exact same|very same} {hours|hrs} as {everyone|everybody|every person} else. {One of|Among} the {benefits|advantages|perks} of {working for|helping} {yourself|on your own} is {setting|establishing} {your own|your very own} {hours|hrs} to {fit|suit|match} your most {productive|efficient|effective} times. Whether you re {an early bird|an early riser} or {a night|an evening} owl, you ll {find|discover|locate} that you ll {get|become|obtain|acquire} {much more|a lot more|far more} done when you re attuned to your {body|physical body} s {own|very own} {natural|organic|all-natural} {rhythms|tempos}. Some {people|individuals|folks} {work in|operate in} the {morning|early morning}, {take a break|pause} in the {afternoon|mid-day} when the {kids|children|youngsters|little ones} are {home|house|residence} from {school|institution|college}, and {work|job} {again|once again|once more} {in the evening|at night}. {Schedule|Routine|Timetable} your {work|job} time when you {feel|really feel} the most {productive|efficient|effective} and you ll {find|discover|locate} that {things|points} {get|become|obtain|acquire} done {easier|simpler|much easier|less complicated}, {faster|quicker|much faster|a lot faster} and {better|much better|a lot better} {than|compared to} when you were dragging along {during|throughout} those {same|exact same|very same} {rigid|stiff|firm} {work|job} {hours|hrs} that {everyone|everybody|every person} else has.|{Just|Simply|Merely} {because|since|due to the fact that|considering that} you have to {set|establish} up {a work|a job} {schedule|routine|timetable}, doesn t {mean|imply|indicate|suggest} that you have to keep the {same|exact same|very same} {hours|hrs} as {everyone|everybody|every person} else. Some {people|individuals|folks} {work|function} in the {morning|early morning}, take a break in the {afternoon|mid-day} when the {kids|children|youngsters|little ones} are {home|house|residence} from {school|institution|college}, and {work|job} {again|once again|once more} in the {evening|night}. {Schedule|Routine|Timetable} your {work|job} time when you {feel|really feel} the most {productive|efficient|effective} and you ll {find|discover|locate} that {things|points} {get|become|obtain|acquire} done {easier|simpler|much easier|less complicated}, {faster|quicker|much faster|a lot faster} and {better|much better|a lot better} {than|compared to} when you were dragging along {during|throughout} those {same|exact same|very same} {rigid|stiff|firm} {work|job} {hours|hrs} that {everyone|everybody|every person} else has.}

4. If {getting|becoming|obtaining|acquiring} after-hours {business|company} {calls|phone calls|telephone calls} or {work|job} day {personal|individual} {calls|phone calls|telephone calls} is {a problem|an issue|a trouble}, it {helps|assists|aids} to have {a separate|a different} {business|company} phone line, or {at least|a minimum of|at the very least} {an answering machine|a voice mail} or voice mail, to take the {incoming|inbound} {calls|phone calls|telephone calls}. This {also|likewise|additionally} {gives|provides|offers} your {business|company} {a more|a much more} {professional|expert} {appearance|look} to {clients|customers} {than|compared to} if you and your {family|household|family members} make and {receive|get|obtain} {calls|phone calls|telephone calls} from the {same|exact same|very same} phone line.

{5. If {at all|whatsoever|in any way} {possible|feasible}, {try|attempt} to {separate|divide} your {home|house|residence} {office|workplace} from the {rest|remainder} of your {home|house|residence}. If you {don|put on|wear} t have the {luxury|high-end|deluxe} of {a separate|a different} {room|space|area}, {a room|a space|an area} partition or {screen|display} {can|could} be {just as|equally as|equally} {helpful|useful|valuable|practical|handy|beneficial}. This {also|likewise|additionally} {serves as|functions as|works as|acts as} {a visual|an aesthetic} {cue|hint|sign} to {family|household|family members} that you re {working|functioning} and shouldn t be {bothered|troubled|worried about}.|If at all {possible|feasible}, {try|attempt} to {separate|divide} your {home|house|residence} {office|workplace} from the {rest|remainder} of your {home|house|residence}. This {also|likewise|additionally} {serves|offers} as {a visual|an aesthetic} {cue|hint|sign} to {family|household|family members} that you re {working|functioning} and shouldn t be {bothered|troubled|worried about}.}

{6. {Dress|Gown|Bridal gown|Wedding gown|Bridal dress|Wedding dress|Outfit} and {act|behave} {professionally|expertly|skillfully|properly} while {working|functioning}. Some {people|individuals|folks} {find|discover|locate} it {helpful|useful|valuable|practical|handy|beneficial} to {dress in|wear} {casual|laid-back|relaxed} {business|company} {attire|outfit|clothes} {during|throughout} their {working|functioning} {hours|hrs}. This {reinforces|strengthens|enhances|improves} that {just|simply|merely} {because|since|due to the fact that|considering that} you re {working|functioning} from {home|house|residence} doesn t make you {any|any type of|any kind of|any sort of} {less|much less} of {a professional|an expert}. {Answer|Response|Solution} the phone with your name, or {business|company} name, and keep your {children|kids|youngsters} off the phone {during|throughout} {business|company} {hours|hrs}. {{Also|Likewise|Additionally}, {spend|invest} {money|cash} {investing in|purchasing|buying|spending for} the {tools|items|devices} you {need to|have to|should} do your {job|task|work} right.|{Spend|Invest} {money|cash} {investing|spending} in the {tools|items|devices} you {need|require} to do your {job|task|work}.} {A cell phone|A mobile phone|A cellular phone}, {fax machine|facsimile machine} {or even|and even} {a budget|a spending plan|a budget plan} {computer|computer system|pc} {can|could} {help|assist|aid} {turn|transform} your {home|house|residence} {office|workplace} {into|in to} {a true|a real} {workspace|work area|work space}.|{Dress|Gown|Bridal gown|Wedding gown|Bridal dress|Wedding dress|Outfit} and {act|behave} {professionally|expertly|skillfully|properly} while {working|functioning}. Some {people|individuals|folks} {find|discover|locate} it {helpful|useful|valuable|practical|handy|beneficial} to {dress|clothe|suit up} in {casual|laid-back|relaxed} {business|company} {attire|outfit|clothes} {during|throughout} their {working|functioning} {hours|hrs}. {Answer|Response|Solution} the phone with your name, or {business|company} name, and keep your {children|kids|youngsters} off the phone {during|throughout} {business|company} {hours|hrs}.}

If you {follow|comply with|adhere to} {all of|all|every one of} these {tips|suggestions|ideas|pointers} and {stick with|stick to} them, {chances|possibilities|opportunities} are you ll {find|discover|locate} {a routine|a regular|a regime} that not {only|just|simply} makes you {feel|really feel} {productive|efficient|effective} and {active|energetic} in your {business|company}, {but|however|yet} {also|likewise|additionally} {projects|forecasts} the {message|post} that you {mean|imply|indicate|suggest} {business|company} {literally|actually|essentially}!

{Even|Also} though {family|household|family members} comes {first|initially}, {stay|remain} {true|real} to your {business|company} {hours|hrs} and {resist|withstand|stand up to} the {urge|desire|impulse} to {chat|talk} with {friends|buddies|pals|good friends|close friends} or {pick|choose|select} up {groceries|grocery stores} {during|throughout} {working|functioning} {hours|hrs}.

Make it clear that your {business|company} {hours|hrs} are {just|simply|merely} that for {business|company}. If {getting|becoming|obtaining|acquiring} after-hours {business|company} {calls|phone calls|telephone calls} or {work|job} day {personal|individual} {calls|phone calls|telephone calls} is {a problem|an issue|a trouble}, it {helps|assists|aids} to have {a separate|a different} {business|company} phone line, or at {least|the very least} an answering {machine|device|equipment} or voice mail, to take the {incoming|inbound} {calls|phone calls|telephone calls}. Some {people|individuals|folks} {find|discover|locate} it {helpful|useful|valuable|practical|handy|beneficial} to {dress|clothe|suit up} in {casual|laid-back|relaxed} {business|company} {attire|outfit|clothes} {during|throughout} their {working|functioning} {hours|hrs}. {Answer|Response|Solution} the phone with your name, or {business|company} name, and keep your {children|kids|youngsters} off the phone {during|throughout} {business|company} {hours|hrs}.