Recently, two trends have begun to show. First, more people are setting up as freelancers or sole traders. Second, more and more people have started working from home. Often, these two trends coincide with one another.
One of the biggest challenges of setting up your own business and working from home is productivity and focus. There are some serious benefits to working from home, of course, such as reduced savings and a complete lack of a commute, but there are problems as well. Thankfully, these problems can be eliminated.
- Set Up a Home Office
Your working space is one of the most important and underutilized aspects of effective and productive work. Without a comfortable working space, you’re more likely to get distracted or even stressed.
The common homeworking situations where you work from the living room couch, dining room table, or even from the edge of your bed simply aren’t good enough. Without the correct furniture, you will soon experience back pain and physical discomfort.
Also, a proper desk setup will allow you to work with a mouse, keyboard, and multiple monitors. All of these peripherals are designed to help with efficiency. Even if you don’t have the space for a dedicated office, then at least make room for a desk and a good office chair.
- Be Strict
Sometimes, you have to be cruel to be kind. A disciplined approach to distractions will help you to get your work done faster, which will then give you more time to relax. This discipline should also apply to anyone else living with you.
Set working hours and make it known that you shouldn’t be interrupted during those times except for an emergency. There may be some teething issues, but eventually, you will all get used to this situation.
- Streamline Outside Services
Outside of your working environment, you should constantly be looking out for ways to streamline costs and efficiencies in your business. For example, you may be paying more for freight shipping than you need to.
Rather than hiring an entire truckload to deliver your goods or supplies, you may benefit from a less-than-truckload (LTL) deal. As the name suggests, you only hire a portion of a truckload, which can save you a lot of money. You can find instant LTL freight shipping quotes online.
- Take Advantage of Working From Home
As mentioned above, there are benefits to working from home. Working from home can be incredibly productive if you know how to take advantage of the situation. For example, working in the office usually requires you to stick to certain hours.
However, some people are far more efficient in the evening, or in the early morning, times which are typically considered unsociable hours. By working from home, you can work when you want to, as long as you achieve your deadlines. You also save time and money on certain aspects of office work, such as the work commute and the need to buy lunch.
