Self-Discipline for Working at Home

It Takes Discipline

Ahhh… to be able to work from home, in your pajamas…… We’ve all heard that. Sounds appealing at first, maybe. But I gave that up when live video became such a thing. Now I have to make sure my hair looks nice, and I have make-up on, in case I need to do an impromptu Zoom meeting or live video. But still, I am home, and I can take a nap if I want to. 🙂

Different types of work-from-home situations include telecommuting, or remote office work, where you might have to appear in person sometimes; an artist or writer in a home studio/office; or a network marketing professional doing presentations online and in person.

Managing Your Time

The thought of time freedom is wonderful, but if it’s too free, not much will be accomplished. Let’s assume that you have a goal of completing a task, and even making money with your endeavor. In that case, you need to take control of your time. Get out a blank monthly calendar, or print one up, and start by blocking out all the times you have commitments you can’t change. Then block IN the times you will commit to working your business. After you see how much time you have available, you can break that down into tasks for each day.

When I was homeschooling my kids, I discovered that there is a lot of time wasted in schools just getting kids to settle down and listen. When it’s your own kids, school doesn’t have to take all day. The same applies to working at home.

Some of the time-consuming things that are necessary for workers in a corporate setting, just aren’t a factor when you work from home. So it’s possible to get the same amount of work done in less time. Still, you have to set daily goals for yourself, and keep going till you reach them.

Marketing

Any self-employment career must include marketing, so Social Media needs to be a regular part of everyone’s day. Oh dear, how is it possible to be disciplined on Social Media?? If you have a Facebook page, you can go directly to that page, instead of your newsfeed. There is a also an app called Facebook Pages, which allows you to manage your page without going there. It’s a good idea to set a timer whenever you are doing Social Media work, so it doesn’t carry you away. Have a plan, get it done, and get off. Give yourself a little “play time” as a reward for being so self-controlled. (Set a timer for that too) If you are on several different platforms, try using Hootsuite or Buffer to be more organized and be able to pre-schedule your posts.

Self-Care

Go back to your blank calendar and find a time to block off just for YOU. Do something that is rejuvenating for you, whatever that may be. Read a book just for fun, or for self-improvement, go for a peaceful walk, do a yoga class – find something that makes you happy. I first learned this concept from The Artist’s Way, by Julia Cameron. She calls it the “weekly artist date.” Make a date to do something nice for yourself – you deserve it.

Find times for regular exercise, which will keep your brain alive and build your stamina. Become aware of what foods give you energy and what saps your strength. Contact me for more resources on this.

Find Community

Is the type of work you do suitable for a Chamber of Commerce or other business networking group? Or maybe you would benefit from an artist’s support group or club. Even if it’s just a one-on-one meeting with a friend in a similar business, don’t try to do this alone. Find a friend, or lots of friends. I have found lots of support and camaraderie in Facebook groups related to my business. Even an introvert like me gets stimulation from being around other people who are working on similar projects.

Let’s Go Get ‘Em!

One of my favorite lines from Dirty Rotten Scoundrels comes near the end, when the mystery is solved and the protagonists and the antagonist decide to work together for a common goal. It’s a well-crafted story, worth seeing if you haven’t already. Anyway, I say with them – “Let’s go get ’em!” You can do it. Please contact me if you would like help organizing your home business.

Click on the Health in the Jungle logo, above, to see my short video series on the home business that I have found to be the most ethical, sustainable and dependable opportunity.