Working from our home offices can mean that we don’t have colleagues, coworkers, and “bosses” to spur us on and encourage our improving processes and procedures. While I may have several clients for whom I work, I don’t really think of them as bosses and I still have to organize my day and operate according to my own standards. Sometimes, I can get in a routine and forget to think about how I can improve productivity, develop new and better ways of getting things done, or come up with ways to streamline my efficiency.
As home businesses owners, making improvements falls squarely on our own solitary shoulders. But, I think it’s possible to challenge ourselves to look for ways to improve a process, record-keeping, procedure or even aspect of how we do our work. In fact, I think for the coming year, I’d like to challenge myself to make one improvement to how I do my work and conduct my business every day.
This doesn’t have to be about quotas, production or sales goals. Making improvements can be in how we organize our work space, process orders or accounting, order supplies, or any myriad tasks and details that make up a working person’s day. Even if we think things are humming along pretty smoothly, there is always room for improvement.
It may help to keep a journal or notes on your computer to keep track of where you see opportunities for improvement and what sort of steps you take to make changes. This way, you’ll have a record of what does and doesn’t work, and where you see the weak links in your business operations. It can be just another way to try to stay organized and productive, but it can also be a concrete way of challenging yourself to continue making regular improvements to various aspects of your home business.