Your (Home) Office “Efficiency is doing things right; effectiveness is doing the right things.” Peter Drucker
When you work from home there are pros and cons. In my opinion though, there many more benefits to working from a home office. As moms, we can be uber-efficient by positioning our work life within our home. We can utilize all “down” time from kid stuff and household organizing to quickly move into “work mode.” I absolutely love the freedom of going back and forth, being able to cook dinner while returning emails, calls or getting a press kit ready to send out. I also believe that being physically present in the house means a lot, even if your kids are playing separately and you are on the computer, you are there for them if they need you. My family life has always been my top priority, so I always chose (and still do) to work from home. The key is to have boundaries. Here are some suggestions for running an efficient and effective home business.
1. Set up your office so it’s organized in one area and has everything you need to make your life easier.
2. Don’t expect your kids to understand that you are on an “important business call.”
Have a separate quiet area where you can take a business call without interruption. A corporate buyer may not appreciate the disturbance on what they thought would be a quick and productive call.
3. Have systems in place that will pick up the call for you if the atmosphere at home is not conducive to doing business on the phone. eVoice is a great service (in Feb. they are launching their “radically better phone system.” Check out www.eVoice.com for 6 MONTH FREE TRIAL!) I also recommend eFax so that you don’t have to be physically present at the fax machine to receive a document. With eFax it goes to your email. These services make you look bigger than you are and also very professional.
4. If your kids are at school for several hours during the day, dedicate whatever amount of time you want to work and stay in that “work zone.” Pretend you are really in an “office.” Once you set your mind to working and you get in the groove, you can be so productive in a short time. Don’t let things interrupt you if it’s something that can wait until after “work.”
5. It’s all about making choices and being present with whatever choice you make. If you are going back and forth from Mom to CEO, be present while in each position. It truly makes the task at hand get done more efficiently and effectively!
Enjoy the juggling act! I think that many of us working moms love being able to utilize our creativity and intellectual energy on a professional level. We feel a sense of independence and then we transition quickly back into Mommy mode and at the end of the day (hopefully!), it just feels fulfilling and satisfying to have experienced the best of both worlds…inside of the house!
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