Working from home is something that so many of us dream of. When you feel stuck on the conveyor belt, and you want nothing more than to not have to get up and head back in to do the job you only just like, it’s a savior. But the idea of starting your own business isn’t something that you should take lightly. If you’ve always liked the idea of being an entrepreneur, then this is something that is going to want to pursue. If it’s something that you’re only just starting to think about, then you need to make sure that you know exactly what you’re getting into. Even if you know you want to be your own boss, the idea of setting up on your own can be completely different in real life.
Shutterstock Licensed Photo – By Creative Lab
When it comes to going into business for yourself and working from home, you’re not just doing the job you do now for yourself. Even if you start something completely different, there’s a lot more that goes into things that just doing the day to day operational work. But don’t let that scare you. Instead, you just need to know everything that you’re getting in to, and then you can take action. To help you do that, we’re going to break it all down. So, let’s take a look at the things you really need to know about working from home.
You Need Security
First of all, you really need to make sure that you have some kind of security in place. When you first decide to start your own thing and work from home, you don’t just want to dive in. This should be something that you plan and prepare for. So, this means that you’re going to want to build yourself a safety net up. Make sure that you’re testing the waters with your home business idea, and in the process putting money aside to support yourself during the first year.
Protection Can Help Too
It’s also a good idea to make sure that you have some kind of protection in place too. This means that you’re going to want to have some insurances behind you. It’s important that you’ll be protected and still able to pay your bills if you are unable to work. Therefore, you might like to think about getting yourself some income protection insurance. At the same time, you may also want some business insurance in case you need it.
You Also Need Space
The next thing to think about is where you’re going to work. It’s going to be important for you to have your own designated space to run your business from. A spare room can work for this, but you may want to go one step further. Get a property valuation and find out what your home could be worth if you convert the garage or the attic. That way, you’ll be creating a business space to work from, but it’s also an investment in your home too.
It Helps To Have Facilities
At the same time, you’ll find that you will also need some key business facilities in place. If you want to feel professional, make sure that you have a coffee station in your workspace. During the renovation, you may also want to think about adding on a bathroom so that you won’t have to keep running through the house.
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You’ll Want To Invest In Equipment
From here, you’re then going to want to work out what equipment you need. Because there will always be something that you need to invest in. Will it be a new laptop? Or maybe some accounting software? Really think about what you need to run your business on a day to day basis and go from there.
You Should Also Focus On Productivity
Next, you need to think about productivity. Working from home can be incredibly distracting (as you’ll see in the next point). So, when it comes to actually doing the work, you’re going to want to find your rhythm with productivity and stick to it.
It’s Hard To Stay Motivated
Being productive when you’re working is one thing, but what about staying motivated in the first place? Because that’s the thing about working from home, you’re not always motivated to get everything done. When you work for someone, you know that you’re working when you’re physically at work. But when you’re the boss and you’re at home, it’s so easy to get distracted. So, you need to think about setting yourself some clear working hours to help you keep focused.
It’s Even Harder To Switch Off
But at the same time, you may also find it really difficult to switch off. Because when it’s your business and you’re trying to make it work, you’re often more than happy to keep working in the evenings. It can be so much harder to switch off after work than when you worked for someone else.
People Don’t Always Trust You
Another thing to think about is that when you’re self-employed and you run your own business, people don’t always trust you. When you’re employed, you can often get credit so much easier. But when you want to get a car or remortgage your house to add on that office space, you will often have to go the extra mile to prove that you’re worthy of the credit!
You Have To Find A Balance
And lastly, but also most importantly, you’re going to want to make sure that you find a balance between your business and your home life. While for a lot of people, this is something that is blurred, it doesn’t have to be for you. It’s really important for you to be able to find that key balance between getting your work done and enjoying time with your family. It can be hard to work out at first. But as long as you find a rhythm, you should be able to work it out.
