What is a “Lifestyle Entrepreneur”?
Lifestyle entrepreneurs are business owners who know how to work efficiently so that their business doesn’t infringe on valuable personal time or family responsibilities. For a home based business owner in particular, this can be a challenge.
Whether you’re considering the launch of a home based business or are already operating one, below are three essential tips that will help you incorporate working from home into your busy lifestyle:
1. Define Your Hours: Take a look at your schedule and pinpoint the hours of the day that you’re able to devote to your business. If you’re a “morning person”, plan to wake up one hour earlier to work. If you prefer to work in the evenings, go to your home office after dinner or after your family has gone to bed. Need to schedule work hours around a full time or part time job? Call forward your business line to a cell phone and return calls during your commute to and from work or during your lunch hour.
2. Use The Internet: The Internet is a phenomenal tool for a home-based business operator. It allows you to promote your business 24 hours a day and communicate with clients even when you’re out of your office.
For example, if you launch a website for your business set up a form with an autoresponder message so that potential clients can contact you at any time and receive an immediate acknowledgement via e-mail. And, if you collect names and e-mail addresses of visitors to your site you can follow up with a monthly or quarterly e-newsletter.
3. Work Efficiently: No matter how many hours you have to devote to your business, use your time well. If you’re only able to work 1 or 2 hours per day, focus your energy on the money-making aspects of your business and outsource other business responsibilities that require a particular area of expertise such as web design, copy writing, accounting, etc.
Finally, if you feel that you’re time is too limited, consider launching your business with a partner and divide business responsibilities based on your individual talents.
Interesting! Helping entrepreneurs do the work without insanity would appear to be a mutual target.
I have worked with several thousand entrepreneurs in the past 15 years of business coaching, and it’s a critical issue, whether you’re a homemaker with a sideline, or a hard-charging executive.
I have a second job – http://www.caringforthecaregiver.org.which started for me when my wife turned to me and said “I think I have a lump on my breast!’
Discussion optional.
I agree! It is so important to set up systems and schedules within a home business! Especially if you have children at home! I was going insane until I was taught how to setup my routines, schedules and systems so that my business ran more effectively!
I second the motion! These three tips are easier said than done. Working efficiently from the comforts of your home can be a real challenge. You have to have the right attitude, discipline and dedication.
Hi Debra,
Nice article. Thanks for sharing your insights.
Managing your own hours and working more efficiently are 2 huge benefits of lifestyle businesses. I’d add picking your own projects and being able to be creative, too.
Your 2nd point is actually the biggest in my mind: The Internet allows more access to all 4 of those factors with less risk for new entrepreneurs than ever before.
You would probably enjoy my new book, Click Millionaires: Work Less, Live More with an Internet Lifestyle Business You Love, too. (Let me know if you’d like my publisher to send you a review copy.)
Best,
Scott Fox
http://www.ClickMillionaires.com.