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Work at Home Moms - Ten Commandments

 
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PostPosted: Dec Sun 17, 2006 12:43 pm    Post subject: Work at Home Moms - Ten Commandments Reply with quote

Work at Home Moms - Ten Commandments

The Top 10 Commandments for Work-At-Home-Moms.

1. Thou shalt take care of thy self first. You are the center of your family, business and life. Take some time to learn whatever it is that you need in order to have the mental, emotional and physical energy to be "there" for all of your vital roles - and make sure you follow through!

2. Thou shalt know and remember thy priorities. Begin with the end in mind! It's very important to know and remember why you wanted to start a home business in the first place. Was it to spend more time with the kids? To Bring in an extra $200 for the phone bill or $2000 per month for the retirement fund? Or for the pleasure of a "grown up" project of your own? Getting crystal clear about your priorities will not only help you choose the right home business, it will help you to make better decisions regarding your business and its development. For example, let's say you were offered an opportunity to grow your business - but it will require you traveling away from home once a month. Remembering your primary reason for starting your business (i.e. to spend more time with the kids vs. to bring in more money) will certainly affect the decision you make to pursue that opportunity.

3. Thou shalt treat your business like a business, not a hobby. Work on your business a little here and there, and you'll only have a little business here and there. Home business success begins with everyone involved (including your spouse and kids) understanding that creating a business at home will require a significant amount of time and energy. The advantage of working at home is that your time is more flexible and you decide where and how to use your energy - but the business will require both.

4. Thou shalt create, negotiation and set reasonable boundaries for your work time and space. You, your family, and your business will function much better if everyone knows what can be expected and when. To set up these boundaries, first decide what you must have and what you want, but what can be negotiated (see commandment #1!). Next, discuss these boundaries with the people involved. Ask for their input and agree on the boundaries. (For kids, set reasonable consequences if these boundaries are breached after a trial period.) Finally, stick to the boundaries (they will be tested at first) and periodically re-evaluate them.

5. Thou shalt realistically assess your need for child care. Even if you work at home so that you can be around for the kids more often, you still may need some supplemental child care - depending on the age, temperament and number of your children. It's almost impossible to get work done if you have to constantly change diapers or make sure your toddler isn't creating havoc now that he can walk! It is worth considering the many child care options (mother's helpers, babysitting coops, play dates with grandma) to give you uninterrupted work time so that when you are with your children you can really be WITH them - fully present and engaged - not focusing on work that is waiting for you in your home office. (Not convinced? See Commandments 4 & 5.)

6. Thou shalt make mistakes. Being a solopreneur is both great and scary because you are the one who makes all of the decisions. Don't let fear of making mistakes hold you back from taking action. It is inevitable - YOU WILL MAKE MISTAKES. It's part of the learning process - like when your baby falls down 100 times before he learns how to walk. The biggest mistake would be for your baby to not get up, learn and move on - and that is true for you too. Someone once said: The only difference between winners and losers is that winners make many more mistakes on their way to success. So go out there and MAKE SOME MISTAKES!

7. Thou shalt create business systems that work. Write a Business Plan and create an Owners Manual. These documents are the foundation that you will build your business on. Creating these documents will simplify the essential steps of setting goals and making plans so that you can take effective action. Take the time to write them out completely - you'll never regret it! (For more information, see The E-Myth by Michael Gerber and The One Page Business Plan by Jim Horan.)

8. Thou shalt learn the art of marketing. This is one skill that is vital for all businesses owners - and it's easier and less expensive than you may think. Start by reading Guerrilla Marketing for the Home Based Business by Jay Levinson and Seth Godin.

9. Thou shalt get connected. Working at home can be very isolating. Don't go it alone! Stay connected to other members of your field through trade associations or local organizations like your Chamber of Commerce. It is not only great for companionship - but also for marketing (see commandment #9). Also, find a Coach, Mentor, or Business Buddy - someone who has successfully done what you want to do - and hang out with them, learn from them and pick their brain. Most people have had help on their way to the top and are happy to help someone else along the way too. Finding someone to team up with can greatly flatten your "learning curve" and make the journey to success much more fun!

10. Thou shalt enjoy yourself, your family and your business! What's all this hard work for if you can't enjoy it?

Submitted by Sarah Zeldman, who can be reached at sbzeldman@aol.com, or visited on the web at http://www.sarahzeldman.com © 97, 98, 99, 00, 2001 Coach Ville This content may be forwarded in full, with copyright, contact, and creation information intact, without specific permission, when used only in a not-for-profit context. For other uses, permission in writing from CoachVille is required. Questions: email topten@coachville.com
-Georgiana Duncan
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