Written By:  Doreen Dilger, The Home Based Business Coach
www.doreendilger.com

Balancing between work and home especially while have a home based business can be difficult, but with a little planning, you can make it work for you.  Here are ten tips that will help you balance your work and home.

1.  Set realistic goals.  It's pretty much a given fact that if you want to achieve something big, you have to make some sacrifices.  While the select few can manage, most people have a difficult time balancing work and home.  When setting your goals, be realistic and don't stretch yourself too thin.

2.  Make schedules.  Keeping track of work and your family can be difficult to plan.  Try to keep a set schedule from day to day and week to week if you can.  Always remember to make a written schedule and give everyone a copy or have one place or central area where you keep this information.

3.  Take time for yourself.  It's a natural instinct of mothers to sacrifice themselves for the good of their family.  However, it's important to remember that if you don't take care of yourself, you can't take care of anyone else.  Try to schedule in at least a few minutes of "your time", whether it be going for a run, watching your favorite TV show, or just sitting in a room by yourself to relax for a few minutes.   

4.  Work in a private area.  If you can do your work in a private area where you can close your door this will give you private time to concentrate on a project.  If you can give yourself at least 20 minutes to an hour of private time this will help you get more done.

5.  Get some exercise.  Working out is not only a great way to stay healthy and gain energy, it's also a great way to spend time with your kids or dogs.  Instead of hitting the gym, go play ball in the park or take them for a walk.

6.  Delegate.  I can't say enough about delegating work that you can't get to or don't want to do.  There are many ways to delegate.  You can hire a part-time assistant or even a high school kid to come in and answer emails, file, make calls, do social media posts or even entertain your children (and dogs) for an hour at a time.   If you can't afford to hire someone then look into bartering with other professionals or Moms.

7.  Prioritize.  When making your to-do lists, figure out the things that are most important for you to do and get them done first. If there isn't enough time to do everything on your list, you won't feel as bad about what you can't accomplish that day.

8.  Find a network group.  Search for a networking group that is close to you.  Working from home can sometimes be lonely for some people.  If you go to a networking group at least once a month it will motivate and inspire you.  I attend American Business Women's Association and Litchfield County Business Women's networking groups.  These are dinner meetings are only once a month.  It is nice to make new contacts, share tips and get feedback on ideas.

9.  Watch for burn out.  Even if you schedule everything, take breaks, and do everything else above, what you're doing may just be too much for you.  Watch yourself for changes in mood or physical problems.  They could be a sign that you're burnt out and need to make some changes to your plans.  Remember, your health is important too.

10.  Learn to say no.  If you want to have a successful business and family life, you will have to learn to say no occasionally.  If you try to do everything, you're going to burn yourself out and not be able to take care of anyone. Having a home based business  doesn't mean you need to do everything you're asked.

If you would like more information about working from home please visit www.doreendilger.com

Article By: The Home Based Business Coach www.doreendilger.com
Believe it or not, if you're having trouble finding the success that you desire it probably comes from self-sabotage. There are many reasons why people sabotage themselves and prevent themselves from experiencing success - but instead of focusing on those reasons, how about focusing on getting out of your own way so that you can be successful?

For the next month, take the time to do something different than you usually do. Go over past situations in a different way than you have. Instead of placing blame, figure out what could have been done differently, and make it a point to go that different way if a similar situation should occur again.

Name It and Claim It

If you're doing self-sabotage behavior it's important to admit it, and name it. If you don't admit to having a problem you can't get to the solution. It's not because everyone is getting in your way. It's not the fault of the weather, or your spouse, or your kids. It's not even because you are sick. It's because you are letting self-defeating behavior get in the way of your success. 

You may need to take some time out for self-reflection to figure out what the self-sabotaging behaviors are. Try looking at each situation that got you to where you are without emotion, mapping them on paper to figure out what your pattern is. Once you identify a pattern, you'll be able to go to the next step.

Replace It

Now that you've named the type(s) of self-sabotaging behavior, it's time to replace it with something more healthy. Flip around negative self-talk into positive, respond in positive ways instead of reacting in negative ways. Try doing something new and different over the same old things you've always done. They say the definition of crazy is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different response. Shake it up; respond differently.

Ask better questions of yourself during each situation. Don't go back to what's comfortable to you; push past your comfort zone and come up with new answers to better questions. No one ever succeed in life without taking some risks. Learn to evaluate the risks, and take solid steps toward the answers.

Practice It

Now that you know how to respond differently, it's important to practice your responses. They say it takes 21 days to make a habit. It's going to take you that long to replace bad self-sabotage habits with new positive response habits. You may make a few mistakes along the way, but you'll stop each time, name it, claim it, and replace it. 

You may find that you need a little help getting to the point of recognizing self-sabotaging behavior enough to replace it with better ways. If so, you can seek the assistance of a business coach or a mentor to help you recognize when you're slipping back into old types of behavior. But, more than likely if you choose to go on this path, within one month you'll be a new person who is out of her own way, accomplishing more than you ever thought possible.

Click here for more information about Doreen Dilger, The Home Based Business Coach.

Top 5 Tips on Staying Focused & Committed to Your Business:

Becoming an entrepreneur requires a certain amount of drive and enthusiasm.  If we didn't believe in ourselves and our businesses, we would still be working for someone else.  But when the going gets tough, it's easy to lose sight of why we started in the first place.  This can cause us to become unmotivated, and it could be the demise of the business we've worked so hard to build if we're not careful.

Businesses are like relationships:  commitment is an absolute must if they are to succeed.  Here are some tips for staying focused and pulling through the hard times.

* Write a mission statement if you haven't done so already.  It should concisely detail the purpose of your business and its key philosophies.  Many entrepreneurs neglect to do this unless it is required to obtain funding.  But a mission statement can help you remember why you wanted to start a business in the first place.

* Set goals.  If you don't have something specific to work toward, it's hard to stay motivated.  By setting challenging yet attainable and measurable goals, you increase your chances of succeeding whether you meet them or not.

* Don't overwork yourself.  Starting and running a business is hard work, and it's easy to get caught up in a cycle of endless 16-hour days.  It's rather ironic that this commitment to your business can result in burnout, which can leave you without the energy you need to keep going.  While it may not be feasible to take a vacation when your business is just getting off the ground, it doesn't hurt to take a day off every now and then.  Taking a breather will give you time to regroup and remember why you chose the path you're on.

* Outsource the tasks that bore or frustrate you.  Home business owners often fall into the trap of thinking they must do everything themselves.  Sometimes they are on tight budgets and don't feel they can afford to hire help, whilst others are unwilling to let go of the total control they have.  But if you're suffering from a lack of motivation, outsourcing can get you back on track by allowing you to focus on the things you love about your business.

* Evaluate the state of your business.  If you've hit a rough spot, perhaps a change of plans is in order.  You may need to focus your offerings more tightly, rethink your marketing methods, or invest in better equipment.  By isolating and solving the problem, you can get back to business as usual.

Sometimes it's hard to maintain the level of commitment that we have in the initial phases of a business venture.  By doing what it takes to remain focused and remembering why we chose this path in the first place, we can keep ourselves motivated.  When we reach our goals, we will realize that it was all worthwhile.

For more information and tips on working from home, please visit www.doreendilger.com.

Goal Setting 101.  If you want to be successful, one of the most important steps is setting goals.  If you just work to get things done, you end up going through the motions with no real purpose or drive.  Setting goals gives you something to strive for, and skyrockets your chances of actually being successful, no matter what you set out to do.  

To make the most out of setting your goals, there are a few rules to always follow:

* Aim high.  While it may seem logical to set goals you know you can reach, that's really not going to make you any more successful than what you are now.  To be able to achieve, you need to reach for something just beyond your grasp.  Something that will motivate you to do more.  Otherwise you'll just end up where you started.

* Be realistic.  So, at first glance, this seems to be totally opposite from the last tip.  The problem with aiming high is that, if you constantly set goals you can't reach, you're going to fail over and over again.  If you keep failing, you're eventually going to give up with goal setting and settle for less than you're capable of achieving.  

If your goals are unrealistic, you also run the risk of putting yourself in danger.  If you are 100% set on reaching a goal that is simply out of reach, you're going to raise your stress levels.  High stress levels can keep you from getting sleep, affect your emotional and mental health, and increase your risk of all kinds of diseases and illnesses.  

* Make a plan.  Having a goal is great, but you also need to know how to get to your goal.  Otherwise you'll end up getting sidetracked with things that distract you from your goals.  Once you set your goals, make a plan of exactly how to get there.  Most importantly, after you make your plan, follow through.  To keep yourself on track, check your plan every so often.  This will not only help you make sure you're following the plan, but will also give you a chance to revise your plan if it's no longer the best course of action.

* Hire a coach.  Having your goals in mind is great, but if you get distracted or reach a setback, you only really have yourself to be accountable to, and you only have yourself to provide you with encouragement.  If you hire a coach, they can help remind you of what you're working for and push you to keep going.  

* Keep objectives in mind.  When running a home based business, it's easy to get caught up in the day to day and forget about your ultimate goals.  That's why it's good to make sure you have reminders in your office of what you're working for.  If you're working to provide a better life for your family, keep pictures of your family succeeding.  Maybe you have an idol that you want to be like.  Post clippings of them and their various successes around the office or on a vision board.  These will help keep you focused on your goals and motivated to do the job at hand.   

One key in being successful is knowing that even if you fail, you can build and learn from what you did wrong.  If you set a goal and fail to meet it, don't give up.  Keep trying to reach for the stars.

Time Management Strategies


There are all kinds of devices and technologies around to help you save time.  But the more things there are to save time, the more it seems like we don’t have enough.  Everyone could use a little help getting more done, so here are a few tips on to help you manage your time wisely and fit more into your day.

To be the most productive, try making a plan.  Each project you take on, be sure to plan it out ahead of time.  Include each step you’re going to need to take, and who and what you need to get it done.

Once you have an overall plan, use this to make a plan at the beginning of each day.  Before you do anything in the morning, make a list of what you need to get done that day.  


Start each day by picking the hardest thing on your to-do list, the thing you’re really dreading.  Once you get that thing done, everything else in the day will seem much simpler.  Plus, the feeling of accomplishment will energize you and help keep you focused throughout the day.

If you’re easily distracted and nothing seems to be working to stop that, try removing the distractions totally.  If you keep playing video games, go somewhere without internet access or a TV.  If you keep getting distracted by the kids, work while they’re at school or when someone else is there to take care of them.  The whole point is that not having distractions is much easier than ignoring them. 

If you have trouble starting work or keeping on task, get a buddy to help you.  The biggest problem most people have is keeping to deadlines.  If you don’t have someone to report to, like a boss or manager, then you have less reason to get things done.  Ask a friend or family member to check on your work and push you to keep going or get started. If you really want to get things accomplished hire a coach.  A coach is there to make sure that you work through your distractions and hold you accountable.   If you feel accountable, you’ll get more done in less time.

One of the best things you can do to get more done in your day is to take breaks.  While it seems counter-intuitive, giving yourself a rest every so often helps you re-energize and make better use of the time you do have.  Whether it be taking the occasional weekend off, walking the dogs or deep breathing during the day, or just sitting in a quiet room drinking your coffee, you need to take some time to recharge.

GOAL SETTING:   Top 12 questions to ask yourself that will help you achieve your GOAL!

1.       Name your goal: _________________________________________

2.       Why do you want to achieve this goal?

3.       Why and what circumstances brought you to set this specific goal?

4.       When do you want to be on target with this goal?  Next week, next month or 6 months?

5.       How will you feel once you have reached your goal?

6.       List all obstacles that you may encounter along the way?

7.       What are the things that you might need to change in order to reach your goal?

8.       What concerns do you have regarding reaching this goal?

9.       What skills or who do you need to hire in order to acquire to reach this goal?

10.   What is your specific plan of action?

11.   What people do you need to have around you to help you get this goal accomplished?

12.   What date will I set to look at my goal again to see if I am on track?  Next week or in 1 month?