The Art of Weaving Your Home Business with Family Life
A Home Business Article Contributed by Tressa Clinger
Household & Home Business: Two Full-Time Jobs
Many disgruntled employees may envision a home business as the best of both worlds. After all, you would be making a living from home and have so much more time for the family. Once business opens, however, the hours spent on the job can be significantly greater than expected. Especially in the start-up phases, the pressure to build up a clientele may have you working at all hours. Children and spouses will inevitably interrupt at inopportune moments.
Answering the telephone can become quite dangerous if there are shrieks and crying in the background. Scheduling can be a nightmare as you juggle mealtimes, business calls, diapers, paperwork, naps, and client meetings. Despite all of this, many parents have been able weave their home business into their families lives with great success. Through communication and routines, you can teach your children valuable work ethics and have both a successful business and a harmonious family.
How Older Children Can Help
Older children and teenagers will gain valuable skills when trained to answer the telephone and greet clients professionally for the home business. Children raised by entrepreneurs often grow to become entrepreneurs, themselves. Teach the children that working from home is still "work" and interruptions will only be accepted in an emergency. Also, some parents find that scheduling a short break every hour to touch base with the family helps alleviate some of the frustration.
How Younger Children Can Help
Even toddlers can "help" with the home business. Encourage young children to create flyers, moisten envelopes and stamps, organize papers and office supplies, and other easy jobs. A small desk area could be set up in the corner of your home office, complete with paper and crayons, so that children can work alongside you.
Getting Help for the Family!
There may be times when your home business is far too busy and you find things are rapidly unraveling around you! Have a telephone number available for a part-time babysitter for these desperate times. High school or college students in your neighborhood may be willing to help out for a small fee. You may also know of other families with home businesses who would be willing to have your kids over for a day in exchange for your promise to return the favor in the future.
It's Your Home Business -- Be Your own Timeclock
Without a manager breathing down your neck, you may fail to notice when you shift into overtime. Your family will notice; it is integral to both the success of your home business and the success of your family that you allocate enough time for each. If a deadline keeps you working through dinner, be sure to make up time with the family on the weekend. The initial thrill of having mom or dad at home will quickly disperse if the children get the impression that the business is more important than the family.
Weaving Your Home Business with Family Life
Communication is essential for the success of your family and your business. Be sure that "business hours" are clearly posted and that your family understands not to interrupt during these hours. Create a short script and role-play with children and teens for professional telephone etiquette. Stuff envelopes together during movie night, send emails and text messages once in a while, and enjoy what you have. By opening up your home business, you have created for yourself the best of both worlds.
