13 Questions Every Home-Based Business Owner Must Ask Themselves
13 Questions Every Home-Based Business Owner Must Ask Themselves
1. How many hours will you work each day and each week? If the nature of your work is such that you cannot set a precise figure, define clearly how you will decide on the amount of time you'll spend working from week to week or day to day.
2. Which hours of the day will you work? Unless your work demands it, there is no reason to limit yourself to typical hours. You can work at hours better suited to your circumstances.
3. How many breaks do you plan to take each day and when will you take them? Some people like to break for five minutes each hour. Others prefer taking longer breaks after working for several hours. Still others break when they come to a stopping point in their work.
4. When will you do household chores? Some people like to take a break for household chores and find that the change of pace allows them to come back to the office refreshed and ready to work. Others find that if they stop to do a household chore, the next thing they know the whole morning has slipped away.
5. When will you eat lunch and will you snack while working? Having the kitchen only steps away often becomes a problem for people who work at home. Consciously deciding how you will handle this should make it easier to keep your weight and concentration in bounds.
6. When and how will you dress? Some people find that to work effectively they need to get dressed as if they were going to the office. Others relish the freedom to stay in a robe all day.
7. Will you watch TV during daytime hours? If so, how much and when? Some people find it's easy to get hooked on game shows or soap operas. In fact, some people claim they work best while watching TV. Others can't work well with the television on but get hooked nonetheless. Even if you wouldn't be caught dead watching a soap, the variety available on daytime TV today can lure you with movies, sports, and news.
8. Under what circumstances will you take off a day, afternoon, or a morning? Sick leave and days off take on a new perspective when you work at home. If you're self-employed, establish your own leave policies, consistent with the nature of your business. If you're employed at home, you'll be on your own to coordinate your work with the established leave policies.
9. When do you decide to get someone to help you with your work? Many work-at-homers try to do everything themselves. Some can, but others end up saving money by spending it to hire help.
10. If you have children, when will you be available to them? Most people find they cannot allow children to have unlimited access to them during working periods. So you will need to make age-appropriate arrangements for their care and set boundaries regarding when you will and won't be available to them.
11. What information do you need to keep track of? Usually, in-house office procedures include policies for records you need to keep. Working at home, however, you will probably have to establish your own record-keeping procedures.
12. How will you manage your money? If you're self-employed you will need to establish a system for managing the financial aspects of your business. Even if you're working at home on a salary, you'll have to arrange a procedure for managing your home-office tax records.
13. What interruptions are you willing to allow? There will be phone calls. There may be people coming to the door to repair things, sell things, or make deliveries. Neighbors may want to visit. It's easier to have a policy than simply to respond to each interruption as it occurs.
13 Questions Every HomeBased Business Owner Must Ask Themselves - To learn more about this author, visit Jeff Casmer's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
Below we've identified thirteen decisions you should make to set up a comprehensive home office business system that's tailored to your unique preferences and work demands. There's no one right answer, but most people run into trouble if they haven't addressed the issue each of the following questions raises. So this will help you decide:
1. How many hours will you work each day and each week? If the nature of your work is such that you cannot set a precise figure, define clearly how you will decide on the amount of time you'll spend working from week to week or day to day.
2. Which hours of the day will you work? Unless your work demands it, there is no reason to limit yourself to typical hours. You can work at hours better suited to your circumstances.
3. How many breaks do you plan to take each day and when will you take them? Some people like to break for five minutes each hour. Others prefer taking longer breaks after working for several hours. Still others break when they come to a stopping point in their work.
4. When will you do household chores? Some people like to take a break for household chores and find that the change of pace allows them to come back to the office refreshed and ready to work. Others find that if they stop to do a household chore, the next thing they know the whole morning has slipped away.
5. When will you eat lunch and will you snack while working? Having the kitchen only steps away often becomes a problem for people who work at home. Consciously deciding how you will handle this should make it easier to keep your weight and concentration in bounds.
6. When and how will you dress? Some people find that to work effectively they need to get dressed as if they were going to the office. Others relish the freedom to stay in a robe all day.
7. Will you watch TV during daytime hours? If so, how much and when? Some people find it's easy to get hooked on game shows or soap operas. In fact, some people claim they work best while watching TV. Others can't work well with the television on but get hooked nonetheless. Even if you wouldn't be caught dead watching a soap, the variety available on daytime TV today can lure you with movies, sports, and news.
8. Under what circumstances will you take off a day, afternoon, or a morning? Sick leave and days off take on a new perspective when you work at home. If you're self-employed, establish your own leave policies, consistent with the nature of your business. If you're employed at home, you'll be on your own to coordinate your work with the established leave policies.
9. When do you decide to get someone to help you with your work? Many work-at-homers try to do everything themselves. Some can, but others end up saving money by spending it to hire help.
10. If you have children, when will you be available to them? Most people find they cannot allow children to have unlimited access to them during working periods. So you will need to make age-appropriate arrangements for their care and set boundaries regarding when you will and won't be available to them.
11. What information do you need to keep track of? Usually, in-house office procedures include policies for records you need to keep. Working at home, however, you will probably have to establish your own record-keeping procedures.
12. How will you manage your money? If you're self-employed you will need to establish a system for managing the financial aspects of your business. Even if you're working at home on a salary, you'll have to arrange a procedure for managing your home-office tax records.
13. What interruptions are you willing to allow? There will be phone calls. There may be people coming to the door to repair things, sell things, or make deliveries. Neighbors may want to visit. It's easier to have a policy than simply to respond to each interruption as it occurs.
13 Questions Every HomeBased Business Owner Must Ask Themselves - To learn more about this author, visit Jeff Casmer's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
 | |
 |
No article feedback found. |
| |
Leave Your Feedback |
 | |
| |||
Anne BarrAnne Barr has over 26 years experience in sales and marketing, six years as a franchisee. She has assisted over 367 business owners and purchasers to achieve their goals in career change, transition and exit strategy. She holds the designation of Certified Franchise Executive from the International Franchise Association, Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers. Anne is active in professional organizations, networking groups and volunteers for non-profit entities. As owner/operator of four successful businesses, Anne has proven people skills and enjoys helping clients find the right "fit" in business ownership. Visit www.FranchiseOpportunitySpecialist.com for more information about me and my company. - Visit Anne Barr's Website |
|||
Jay Kubassek(Jay's Full Bio: EvanCarmichael.com/jaykubassek) In five years, Canadian-born entrepreneur Jay Kubassek went from selling mufflers at a Midas franchise to revolutionizing Internet marketing with the 2004 launch of CarbonCopyPRO, a online marketing education company, now worth over $20 million with customers in over 160 countries.
As an independent film producer, his upstart film fund Aliquot Films is currently producing a films with Spike Lee and Abel Fererra (starring Ethan Hawke and Dennis Hopper.)
Jay's entrepreneurial spirit is irrepressible. He’s the owner of five companies, a professional speaker and trainer, international real estate developer/investor, extreme sport enthusiast and emerging philanthropist. Jay resides in NYC with his wife Jamie, son Milo and dog Cooper. Visit Jay's official website: www.JayKubassek.com - Visit Jay Kubassek's Website |
|||
David BarrDavid Barr is the President of Venture Opportunities, Inc. David has been a professional business broker/intermediary since 1980 focusing on General Business Brokerage and Mergers and Acquisitions representing client transaction value from $400,000 to $20,000,000. Mr. Barr has handled the sale of over four hundred and fifty companies. David earned a university degree from the State University of New York majoring in economics and business. David holds the Mergers and Acquisition Master Intermediary and the Certified Business Intermediary designations from the International Business Brokers Association. He is also a Senior Business Analyst and a Texas licensed Real Estate Agent. For more information about David and Venture Opportunities, visit www.bizdealmaker.com. - Visit David Barr's Website |
|||
Casey GollanCasey Gollan, Business Coaching & Mentoring Programs. Add $1 Million to $10 Million in the next 1 to 3 years. Since 1996 Casey has to added hundreds of millions of dollars to businesses. Watch a free video see client results Business Coaching website. - Visit Casey Gollan's Website |
|||
Kim CastleWith nearly two decades in the advertising and design business, with clients like Domino's Pizza, General Motors, Direct TV, Pedigree, Wolfgang Puck, Higher Octave Music, Hollywood Celebrity Products, Disney, and Paramount, as well as thousands of entrepreneurs around the world define, structure, communicate, and position their business for greater profits, BrandU(R) co-creators Kim Castle and W. Vito Montone discovered that entrepreneurs could experience the same power that big brands command for a fraction of the cost with the world's only process-based results-drive Integral approach to business creation. BrandU(R) is helping entrepreneurs grow with the power of extreme clarity from idea...to brand...to market(TM) and helping one million entrepreneurs become successful and whole so that they can make a difference in the world. Are you one of them? If you want to experience clarity all the way to the bank(TM), get started now at http://www.brandu.com. - Visit Kim Castle's Website |
|||
Jeff FosterWebBizIdeas.com is a Minneapolis website design company founded to help people start an internet business by providing them with website, business, and internet resources that help foster the growth of successful online businesses and develop innovative Internet business ideas. We specialize in internet consulting & internet marketing. - Visit Jeff Foster's Website |
|||
David AchesonDavid Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns. David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website |
|||
Leanne Hoagland-SmithAre your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
|||
|
To learn more about the Evan Elite Author Program please contact us. | |||
 | |
|  |
Subscribe to Jeff's articles
 | |
|
|  |
 | |
|
| |
 | |||||||
|
 | ||
|
||
 |
||
 |
||
|
| ||
 |
| Have you written articles that would be of value to entrepreneurs? Become an expert on our site by publishing them! Expose yourself to a wide audience, drive more traffic to your website and get more sales! Click Here for details. |
|
|
 |
| Modeling the Masters: Learn the true secrets behind Walt Disney's business success factors & grow your company! Video produced by Phanta Media |
|
|
 |
"Learn straight from Evan how you can Make a Full Time Income (And More) from a Website"
Click Here To Learn More |
|
|
|
|
Get advice & tips from famous business owners, new articles by entrepreneur experts, my latest website updates, & special sneak peaks at what's to come!
|
|
|
 Website Planning Leadership Audit For Business Management vs. Leadership Special Report Adopting Creative Thinking |
|
 | ||
 |
Write The PR
Press Release Builder | |
 |
The Top 10 ProBlogger Posts
Best Posts for Bloggers | |
| ||
 | ||||
| ||||
|
| ||||
| ||||
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||
|
Email us your ideas on how to make our website more valuable! Thank you Sharon from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for your suggestions to make the newsletter look like the website and profile younger entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez and Sean Combs!
|
|
|
| ||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||