Working at home may seem ideal but it is not without its challenges. Some have a tendency to think working at home is glamorous or easy. I do not feel glamorous as I spend the day in PJs trying to get all my work done with my hair up in a bun and no make up on my face. I do not find it easy to fit the hours necessary in building a successful business or work at home situation with four kids, homeschooling, mountains of laundry, and dinner to make every night. The business of being a mom is hard enough. I already wear enough hats for a small country as I play nurse, taxi driver, educator, cook, maid, business owner, Jack of all Trades, janitor, and more that fall off my head as I walk. Certainly I am not complaining as I love the challenge and I am determined to live on my terms while giving the example of being an entrepreneur to my children. However, I must warn that working from home is not for the faint of heart.
Cost of doing business: Having your own business will require investment. Before you see a profit you will have to spend money and spend some time in the red. I hope red is your color because you may be wearing it for quite some time. The key is patience and hard work as in the end it will pay off and soon you will be wearing a little black dress.
House work and house work: Can you walk past a mountain of laundry to file taxes for your business? Can you set aside filing taxes to get a load of laundry done? When you take on a home business you have entered into a double career of business owner and mom. You have to find balance between keeping your home in order and your business in order. The key is to set office hours and stick to them. If you need to work longer hours one or two days be sure to take out a half hour to clear up your home before it becomes a disaster.
Not enough hours in the day: Between work, kids, laundry, walking the dog, and taking care of you time flies. You must be self motivated and disciplined to run a business. You have to set your priorities and manage your time well or something will suffer. The key is realizing that you cannot do it all so be realistic with your time and devote our “to-do” list to only tasks you can accomplish for the day otherwise you will set yourself up for failure.