Guest Article: Three Keys to Achieving Balance Between Your Home Office and Your Family Life
© Bonny Albo
As with many of the people I coach, working from home, however, can be both a relief and a headache at the same time. Keeping a balance between your professional home life and your personal home life presents many challenges. One in particular that comes up in many of my coaching sessions is the unending desire to work every waking moment of everyday, including weekends! It's a real challenge having a lot of work just inches away from where you are supposed to be enjoying quality time with your family.
So what can you do? How can you make your home business work while keeping your personal life intact? There are three areas that I consider paramount to running a successful home based business.
First, remember that above all else, your business is your business, and your family is your family. Try never to mix the two because that can easily lead to a toxic potion. When you are in business mode, be focused on your business. Try to keep your children out of your work area at all times. If that means having to hire a babysitter to occupy your children while you work, do it.
It's much more important to have a professional appearance to your clients than having a the few extra dollars you may save by not hiring a babysitter. Being close to your children can be a blessing, but they can also spell disaster as you try to close that key account over the phone just as one of them begins to cry or scream uncontrollably right next to you.
If a full time sitter is not an option, consider hiring a part-time sitter. When the sitter is in, that's when you make your calls. Work your calling schedule around your babysitter as best you can, and make sure you save the most important calls for that quiet time.
The more separation you create between your business mode and your personal life, the better. If your home office has a door, close it. Cut off any temptation to go and
