By Stephen Wright
The good news; at last, you have achieved your dream.You've escaped the traditional, away from home work forceand are now self-employed whether it be part-time orfull-time. Now, the bad news;You are now self-employed. Itis both good news and bad news. That is, if you are notprepared to deal with the information overload. There yousit, in your spiffy new office - whether it's in the cornerof the sitting room or in a converted bedroom surrounded byyour equally spiffy new toys...your computer, desk and somestrategically placed shelves. Your new multi-functioncenter will print stuff, fax stuff and copy stuff. (Itwon't hang out the washing, but hey, you can't haveeverything.)
You've even got work coming-in and the immediate worryabout making a living has vanished. Hooray! You really*can* work from home! At first, working at home is purebliss. Then you get a week when everybody and their dogseems to want your services. After putting in a few latenights, you meet all the deadlines and think; phew...I'mglad that's over! You decide to relax and give yourself aday off. After all, you worked all through the weekend andearned it, right?
Unfortunately, the following week you find yourself off toa bad start trying to make-up for your day off. Before youknow it, you find that you are dropping further and furtherbehind. You reflect gloomily that when you were working forsomeone else, at least at the end of the day you werefinished...what didn't get done didn't get done!
Well, it's time to take heart and set a few simplestrategies in place that will keep you in control of yourtime...and your sanity.
=== 1. Do NOT Accept Any New Work This Week. ===
Take a good look at what you have on your plate now, andcarefully plan the week ahead. Your aim is to regaincontrol. Tell new clients that you are fully booked, butyou can put them on a priority list to be phoned next week.(This will not only allow you to catch up, but make yourservices appear highly in demand.)
=== 2. Build In Time For Leisure and Rest. ===
Not only for this week, but EVERY week. A half hour walk; atwenty-minute break in the sun with a cup of coffee; aquick swim or a movie outing with friends - all theseactivities can recharge your batteries. You will find thatyou can achieve far more when you are rested and alert.(How many times have you sat at the computer staring at thescreen, achieving very little, because you're over-tired?)
=== 3. Tackle Urgent Tasks First. ===
If you're behind, your first step must be to contact allclients and arrange firm new deadlines. Make sure you basethese new deadlines on what you CAN achieve, not what youHOPE you can achieve. If any existing client needs yourservices or products urgently, bump them up the queue.
=== 4. Prioritize Remaining Tasks. ===
Scrap anything that is not essential, and delegate what youcan. Consider involving family, business associates orfriends to handle some tasks. (Warning: do not hand overtasks that must be carried out only by you as the principalof the business. Your reputation is important.)
=== 5. Set Achievable Daily Goals. ===
If you finish a task ahead of schedule, begin the next...but adhere to a definite cut-off time each day. What youare doing this week is establishing a system that willcontinue to work for you.
Getting out of trouble when your business is in overload isjust like getting out of debt. Your business rating issimilar to your credit rating - nothing can be gained bydenying that a problem exists. Nothing can be gained byslipping deeper into the mire. Call a halt; contact themain players; set workable strategies in place and you canquickly regroup.
Before you know it, your home business dream will be ontrack once more.
Article Source: www.ArticlesBase.com
