Starting a home-run business? Or maybe you’re a few months in and your business is vying for space with your kids’ toys?
Running a home business comes with a particular set of hurdles. On the upside, you’re cutting costs on expensive rental fees for office space. On the other hand, you may feel like you’re in a continual battle for space, time, and focus.
Here are 5 tips that will help you clear those hurdles and keep your business in fighting shape.
1. Schedule everything.
From when payments are due, to when you need to post new content to your social media. Everything should be listed on your schedule. A well-kept and often-referred to schedule is the first line of defense against business chaos. If you have recurring appointments that are always at the same time each week or month, put that event on repeat, so that you do not need to add it in each time.
Other to dos you could add to your calendar include time given to business projections and lead generation. Along with other tasks that you tend to put off.
2. Outsource when needed.
Being a startup business owner often requires a person to wear many hats. Yet, everyone has that one thing that they’re no good at.
You could be the world’s best coder, but writing copy to sell your services has you breaking out in hives. From cleaning services for your home biz to website design, outsourcing is the way to take care of those things that you can’t bring yourself to do – but which still need to be done.
You will not only be freeing yourself up to focus on the tasks that you’re good at. But you will be getting the best of what others have to offer your business.
3. Go paperless.
If you are running your business from home, chances are you are vying for space with your kids, a spouse, fitness equipment, etc. The list could go on.
Going paperless cuts down on the need for extensive filing systems. Google Drive provides 15 GB of free storage space. This allows you to store your business documents online.
Wondering how to convert that stack of files on your desk into digital files on your computer? There are plenty of apps that provide scanning capability to your phone. Simply take a snapshot of each page, and link it to your online storage account, and you’re ready to go!
4. Have an accounting day.
Whether weekly or monthly, designate a day for keeping your finances in order, and don’t bail on that date. Keeping track of business expenses and income will save you money when tax season arrives. Outside of that, knowing how much you are spending and where can help you diagnose where you could be saving money.
The path to running a tight financial ship is not a complicated one to follow. But it does require self-discipline. Giving yourself an accounting day will make you less likely to forget to do it and prod you to stop putting it off.
5. Plan for tomorrow today.
An invaluable practice to put in place: Plan your to dos the day before. Set aside 10 minutes before you leave your home office to list out the most important tasks that must be done. Consult your calendar and look at what’s ahead for the week and the month. Try to not only think in terms of busy work – emails and phone calls to return. But think in terms of expansion and growth. What can you put on your to do list tomorrow that will allow your business to grow? After writing out your to do list for the next day, schedule it out. Time management experts state that putting a time stamp on each to do increases your chances of getting it done.
