If you’re just getting your business off the ground, chances are you’re not working in a dedicated office space quite yet. And while running your own online shop comes with its own set of challenges, doing it all from home isn’t always easy either.
Working from home doesn’t just mean saving time commuting, getting to pet your dog while you’re on Zoom calls, and staying in sweats all day. If you’re running every aspect of your business by yourself, from buying inventory to shipping products out, working from home can make it really difficult to achieve any semblance of work-life balance. In order to stay both productive and happy, you’ll have to do some careful planning.
Simple productivity hacks can help you make the most of your day. Here are our best productivity tips for small business owners working from home:
“Go to work”
Set aside a designated office space, whether that’s your home office, a desk and a chair in your bedroom, or even a coffee shop nearby. Do your best to keep your work in that space and everything else out of that space. It’ll help you achieve better work-life balance, feel less stressed, and get more done while you’re supposed to be working on helping your business succeed.
Set working hours
Figure out when you’re most productive & devote that time to working on your boutique if possible. If you also work a full-time job, you might have to get creative by waking up earlier or setting aside some time in the evening. Either way, do your best to carve out specific hours you’ll spend working on your business – and when you’re off the clock, act like it!
Take breaks
It’s impossible to focus 100% for 8+ hours at a time. Taking breaks isn’t lazy – it’ll help your working time be more focused and productive. Schedule short 20-minute breaks throughout your working hours to recharge. Exercise, take a quick nap, read a book, have a snack – whatever you’ve got to do to stay happy and motivated.
Plan your day
A lot of time can be wasted simply deciding what to do next or switching gears from one task to another. Planning out your day and your week ahead of time can help you reduce that extra time spent as well as prioritize which tasks are most important.
Take some time on Sunday or Monday morning to plan out the rest of your week. Identify which tasks are the most important and tackle those first whenever possible.
Of course, make sure to be flexible in case other more important tasks arise. Sticking to your to-do list shouldn’t get in the way of doing what’s best for your business
