Whether you are starting your own business alongside another job or you have decided to dedicate your work time solely to a new business, running a start-up can be pretty challenging. For many people, this will involve working from home and this can make things even more challenging – especially if there are children involved.
It is important to remember, however, that things don’t need to be so difficult if you can structure them properly, setting clear goals and boundaries to yourself and your family, and organizing your time well – regardless of how much time you have to dedicate to your start-up.
Budgeting
The whole point of starting a business is to earn money, right? But it might not be possible for you to earn money straight away – in fact, it would be unusual in the world of start-ups. If you have a family to support it is important that you bear this in mind.
Try to plan a budget before you start so that you can have a realistic idea of your income and out-goings – and whether it will be enough to support your family.
Informi, small business information specialists, suggest “It is always important to remember when you are starting out, you don’t have to do everything at once. Keep in control of your costs and don’t try and grow your business too quickly. Focus on the quality of your products and your relationships with your customers.”
Separate your Spaces
Finding the right space to do your work is important for productivity and motivation. If you are working from home, it is important that you separate your work life from your family life to ensure that you are in the right mindset all of the time – able to work, and also able to relax. Try to use a separate room or area if you don’t have much space.
This is also a good way of showing your family that you are working and cannot be interrupted unless in an emergency. Maybe try closing the door, wearing earplugs, or having a sign up when you need to be concentrating on work.
Organize your Time and Establish a Routine
Making sure that your time is being used productively is essential, especially when you are busy at work and at home. Regardless of the amount of time that you are hoping to be working – or relaxing – it can be easy to cross into each other’s time. Try to plan out when the best time for work is and the best time for family is, schedule your life around this and try to stick to it.
Remember, though, that although you should try to stick to your routine as much as possible, you can still be flexible – that’s part of the beauty of working for yourself!
This system might seem tricky at first, but it all becomes a little easier once that you have got into a routine – for you trying to start and run your business, your family in terms of expectations and boundaries, and for your customers or those who you are dealing with at work.
Get Outside Each Day
Looking after your mental health is very important, especially if you are not getting the social interaction that most people do going into a workplace – and are interacting mainly with children! Getting outside is a highly effective way to help to keep your mind healthy – and children will love it too!
Whether it is a trip to the local park, a run around the garden, or a short walk, this is a great idea for you and all of the family.
Try to also schedule in some relaxation time away from your parenting duties. Although many people love to spend time with their children it is also important to have some time to yourself.
Optimize your Time
Starting your own business can be a full-time job, so it can be very tricky if you are also trying to juggle parenting or other family time. Optimizing your time is, therefore, very important. This could be as simple as working out when your brain works best (in the mornings, for example).
Although you might not have a lot of extra cash there might be some time-consuming activities, and you would be better off paying someone to do for you. This works both in the work sphere as well as in your home life.
It might be sensible to pay someone to create your website or manage your admin (it doesn’t need to be on a full-time basis) or it could be paying someone to do your cleaning or ironing, for example.
Starting your own business is not always easy, and when you are also trying to balance a family, this can be made even more difficult. The good news is that with a little structuring and organization, and by asking for help, you can make it happen in a way that suits everybody.
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