Being a home entrepreneur is a goal that most people have. You’re your own boss, so you get the final say in all the decisions. Nonetheless, it’s important to set a few rules for yourself. It’s the best way to stay productive and keep your ecommerce business growing.
Are you living the dream while you’re working at home? You get to decide your own hours and dictate your business’s success rate. Are you finding it to be harder than expected? Self-discipline is something that every person struggles with. A lot of people need someone else—like a boss—to keep them on task. But not you! You are a successful ecommerce business owner. However, there are always things that can be improved. This list provides helpful practices that will keep your productivity flowing.
1. Keep To Your Schedule
It can be easy to sleep in or neglect your assignments until the next day. It’s also just as easy to work well past eight hours, exhausting yourself over paperwork. Neither of these things are good. You don’t have a boss to tell you when to come and go, so you need to set times to “go to work” and “go home.” Even if that means separating yourself from your home entirely. Have a she-shed? Man-cave? Perfect offices in our opinion.
2. Create Boundaries
Friends and family find it hard to believe you’re at work when you’re lounging in the living room on your laptop. They will plop down next to you and turn up the volume on the TV. Boundaries need to be made in order for you to focus on work. The conversation can be hard to have, but it must be had. However, your family and friends want you to succeed, so why would they have an issue giving you space?
3. Don’t Neglect The Office Atmosphere
It’s all fine and good to work from home instead of renting an office. It saves money and travel time. But it is important that you find a space in your home that is strictly for work. It helps you stay organized and allows you to focus mentally on the tasks at hand. Get a proper desk, computer, chair, and office supplies. If you do this, you can write off the space on your business taxes, too.
4. Have A Dress Code
Going to work after rolling out of bed without bothering to brush your teeth or hair sounds like a dream. But your mental attitude takes a hit every time you neglect your “work appearance.” Getting ready in the morning before work offers you a chance to wake up and mentally prepare for the day ahead. When you show up in pajamas, you’ll want to go back to sleep, which doesn’t help anyone.
5. Invest In Your Health
Dressing to impress yourself isn’t the only thing that needs tending to. It’s important to take breaks during the day to eat, stretch, and visit the bathroom. Set an alarm if you can’t remember to check the clock. Health is important, and that is your top priority when managing a business. If the owner is lagging behind, so will productivity. Just pretend you’re “going home for lunch.”
6. No Procrastinating Allowed
Keeping to your schedule is important, but so is staying focused during those hours. If you don’t set personal goals as well as business goals then your business won’t move. You want a steady marathon pace…not a snail crawl. Make a daily task list and stick to it. Once you have a rhythm, revisit it. If it’s too much to keep up with, reduce the load. If you find yourself “going home early” increase the workload.
7. Travel For Work
Staying at home for work can get boring and give you “cabin fever.” If you’re able, take your laptop and head to the nearest café or library for a change of scenery. It’s a great way to clear your thoughts and even get some inspiration for your projects. Why not set up an in-person meeting with a potential partner or supplier instead of emailing? It creates stronger connections and is healthier for the future relationship.
8. Avoid Excuses
It is so easy to make excuses for why you can’t work that day. So…let’s eliminate the variables. Get a good night’s rest, so you don’t hit the snooze button a hundred times. Invest in a working computer if yours keeps crashing. Are your in-laws visiting the next day? Warn them in advance that you’ll need to stay in your office to work between certain times, so you won’t be able to mingle until the evening.
9. Predict The Unpredictable
Make time to study and predict trends. Check in with your suppliers or check out the competition. Google analytics is another great tool to help you stay ahead of the curve. If you stay on top of current happenings, then you won’t feel swamped when the wave hits your rapidly growing business. You’ll easily be able to plan product launches and stock inventory for the inevitable spike.
10. Make Smart Business Choices
Owning your own ecommerce business isn’t like being employed at another company. When things happen—bad or good—it’s up to them to handle it. But you’re the boss now. You need to be prepared for eventualities, such as loss of profits or increase in product demand. Ecommerce Funding Comparison has all the information you need, so you can say, “crisis averted” and move on to more important things such as inventory…or relaxing with the family.
