Making Time For Your Home-Based Business
Every day thousands of people join the ranks of home-based
business owners without first pondering whether they actually
have the time to operate a business successfully.
That's not to say that operating a home business on a part-time
basis can't be done successfully. It can... with managed use of
your time. But it may mean giving up a few of your favorite
pastimes - such as having a couple of beers with the guys on
Saturdays or gluing yourself to the TV on Sunday nights to watch
Desperate Housewives. If the thought of doing either of those
things makes you cringe, you may want to ask yourself how
serious you really are about building a successful home business.
If you decide that you are willing to make the sacrifices, the
first thing to do is to sit down with pencil and paper and list
everything you do each day step-by-step. Take stock of the time
you spend doing wasteful, time-consuming things and eliminate
all that isn't necessary. After doing so, most people find that
they have two to three hours each day that can be utilized in a
more constructive or efficient manner.
Efficient time management boils down to planning what you're
going to do, and then doing it without backtracking. Start by
making a list of the things you want to do tomorrow each evening
before you go to bed. Organize your daily errands to take care
of as many things as possible in one trip. Not only will you
save time you'll also save money on gas. The important thing is
to think of time as your most valuable asset, because it is. So
organize it accordingly. Decide what has to be done each day and
from there it's just a matter of arranging priorities.
Set aside a specific time to do household chores that need to be
done and a specific amount of time to devote to them. For
instance, just one hour per day devoted to yard work would
probably make your lawn the envy of all your neighbors. Whether
it's painting your house, fixing leaky faucets or mowing your
lawn and trimming shrubs, do one particular job each day and
you'll be amazed at your progress.
Once you start listing and planning what you want to do, and
then carry out your plans, you'll find that you have more time
than you thought you would to devote to your home business.
Finally, and above all else, when organizing your time, don't
forget to set aside some time for relaxation. Be sure to
schedule time when you and your family can be together. Although
it is easy to do when first starting out, do not become so
pre-occupied with your business that you exclude other people -
particularly your family and friends.
Taking stock of the time you waste each day, and from there,
reorganizing your activities is the key. It may not always be
easy to do, but you will find that once you get into the habit
of setting priorities and following a set pattern to accomplish
your daily goals that you will realize greater fulfillment in
your business and your personal life.