Page 116 - 597 Business Ideas You can Start from Home - doing what you LOVE! (Beginner Internet Marketing Series)

1 08 Your Idea, I nc.

What You Need

Arrange a clean area, fresh from clutter with good lighting and
the supplies you need. Put in the time up front to organize every­
thing-it will pay off later. Here's a basic list of what you'll need;
tailor it to your specific situation.

• A separate business computer from your family's (you don't want
to compete with your kids and spouse for time on it), with reli­
able and high speed Internet and business e-mail access.

• A printer-the "all-in-one" style is useful, as it can scan, copy,
and fax as well.

• A phone with a separate phone number. This is an added expense,
but it's important (more on separate lines later in this chapter).

• Office supplies you'll use. Don't run out to the office store and
spend $500 on cool-looking Post-it Notes if you'll never need any.

• A calendar, either on your computer or a paper one.

Benefits of a Home Office

Working at home and saving the cost of rent always makes sense
whenever possible. You can also be really productive with a home
office, because you can go back and forth between household tasks
and office work qUickly. You also save time and money by not com­
muting, and you can be available for your kids as well .

Challenges of a Home Office

Of course, working at home also has its drawbacks. Even in your
"office," you may be disturbed by the noise of kids playing or the

TV. You may also feel like you have to work while at home. When

you leave your office to enjoy dinner with your family, consider it
the same as leaving a totally separate office and driving home. Try to
carve out "working hours" so you establish those boundaries. It takes
some time to master the balance, and will require the cooperation
of everyone in your home, but before long, you'll be comfortable.