Work Life Balance For Home Based Entrepreneurs

According to research released by EO London, the UK branch of the internationally recognised Entrepreneurs Organisation, the entrepreneurial spirit in the UK is stronger than ever. Half of all adults in Britain have considered starting their own business.

Of those who have already made the leap to set up their own business, many will work from home for at least part if not all of the time.

Many people set up their own business to achieve a greater work life balance. However, many find it even more difficult to develop the boundaries and achieve the desirable outcome.

Work life balance means “to allow people to have a fulfilled life both in and outside of work”, but how do you create that balance when your work is at your home?

Follow my top tips to create a better work life balance when you work from home:

1. Create specific short and long term goals, and break down any larger goals into manageable chunks.

2. Develop a daily to do list. Focus on what you want to achieve each day, rather than resorting to making a cup of tea and watching day time TV.

3. Prioritise the tasks you want to get done and do the most difficult one first, and then all the other tasks will seem easy.

4. Working for yourself can be isolating so develop a social network of people you can talk to or meet for coffee.

5. Take a lunch break or time out to go for a walk and get some exercise.

6. Get support from others to give you the space you need, make you take a break and also to help you to do the other things that need to get done.

7. Allow yourself time off to recharge your batteries. A weekend off clears the mind and sparks off new ideas.

8. Set working boundaries – set your working hours and stick to them. Although you may want to work all hours when you are developing your business, you need a break. Even though you can use a laptop in front of the TV, do you really want to?

9. Shut your door on the work at the end of each day, but put together a plan for the following day so you are not tempted to pop back in for some midnight working.

10. Remember why you wanted to work from home in the first place and ensure that your activities reflect this goal.

To create the balance for you, ensure that you manage what you want in your life and choose what is important to you. It is then achieving the right balance between all aspects of your life that make you happy and provide fulfilment.