Yesterday my day fell apart. I felt like this poor guy in the picture. I was frazzled. My day started out “wrong.” I wasn’t ready to start work at 9am like I usually am. I spent an hour cleaning and getting ready and then it got even worse.
Everything fell apart. I had too much to do, and not enough time to do it, and things weren’t going right. My bank couldn’t find a large check I had deposited last week. A client gave me a rush job that I really didn’t have time for, but I wanted to accommodate them.
Finally, sometime around noon, I sat down and made a list of the things I needed to do. I prioritized what actually had to be done that day. I broke them into manageable bites and started working. Things went much smoother, and I actually got a few things done. The bank also found my check, which relieved my stress quite a bit.
Before I go to bed, I usually review how my day went. Yesterday I thought about all the people I work with who also work from home. I thought about how they manage things. These are a few of the common traits I came up with:
1. Goals. Most of the successful small businesses I work with have set specific goals. Goal-oriented individuals seem to achieve more. I think this is because specific goals make you accountable for your actions and your time. Goals should be reviewed and adjusted as needed.
2. Systems. Successful people have systems in place that help them flourish. Those who struggle let the demands of life, family, and friends dictate what they do. (My systems fell apart yesterday.)
3. Learning. Thriving home-based business people are continually learning new things that help them with their business.
4. Mindset. Successful people have a different mindset than unsuccessful individuals. (Yesterday when I changed my mindset, things started to flow better.)
5. Support. Whenever you work from home, you need others you can reach out to and ask for assistance. This could include just whining about your day, or advice on an ad you’re thinking of running.
People work from home for different reasons. If you define your reasons, you are much more likely to feel successful. Also defining your reasons for working from home helps you reach your own (very personal) success level.
So when your day falls apart, review the above tips and see if they don’t help.
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