Seven Tips For Work-At-Home Motivation

Considering a work at home business? Clients often say their biggest fear is loss of momentum. Here are ten tips to keep yourself motivated and productive.

(1) Build structure into your day.

Create a schedule and To Do list every evening for the next day, before you sign off for the day. (And yes - it is important to sign off, even if you return later to complete a project.) Include breaks and email reading time.

(2) Define goals by numbers ("write 1000 words") instead of time ("2 hours on Mega account"). One of the joys of working at home is you get to quit when you're finished ahead of schedule.

(3) Train friends and neighbors to respect your working hours.

Clients tell me about neighbors who say things like, "I told the UPS truck to leave the package at your house since you're always home." Discourage phone calls with a prepared response, like "I will call you after four o'clock today." You will be tested. Prepare to hang tough.

(4) Get the family on board.

Deal with their concerns before you start and be prepared to show how you are creating a win-win situation. Clarify what counts as an emergency - a valid reason to interrupt while you are working - and what can wait till dinnertime.