If you are an “unintentional entrepreneur” – someone who has had to strike out on your own because of the economy rather than because of a concerted effort to start a business – chances are you will start out working at home. And while working at home is often touted as a dream lifestyle, chances are that the dream will start to fade into reality as early as day one.
For starters, if you have kids, they may not understand the concept of “working at home” and think that you available for playing, and ice-cream serving and story reading. And your spouse, even though he or she knows you are working, may find it just a little too easy to peek into your office several times a day to discuss non-work related matters. Even friends have been known to get in on the action and think that just because you are working from home means you are available for lunch, a long chat, or an afternoon watching their sick child.
So how do you manage when the “life” part of your work/life balance seems to be taking over?
Forget the “home” part of “home office” (and make sure everyone else does, too)
If spouse, kids and friends all seem to be descending on your office space, perhaps it’s because you aren’t setting proper boundaries. Close the door. Add a “Keep Out” sign if you have to. And, whatever you do, leave the home phone outside.
Of course, some home workers are not lucky enough to have an entire room dedicated to a home office. They have to make do with a desk or the kitchen table. If that’s the case, get creative. Wear a special hat to signal that you are working and should not be disturbed. Or better yet, sport big, bulky headphones. Headphones, even if there isn’t any music flowing through them, tend to deter people seeking your attention.
If you still experience constant interruptions, it’s time to play hardball. Encourage your spouse to call you on the phone instead of popping in for a chat. Chances are whatever he or she wanted to talk about can wait until after work time. Remind them that disturbing you in your home office is just like disturbing you at work with a personal call. As for interrupting friends – lay down the law. Don’t take for granted that they understand the work from home concept. Lay it out for them. Good friends will understand when they realize that their demands are encroaching on your family’s bottom line.
Make sure you are spending enough time on the “life” part of your work life balance
Perhaps your spouse, your kids and your friends are trying to tell you something whenever they burst in on your work time. Namely, that they want your attention. Be sure to shut the office door every day – this time, with you on the outside – and spend some quality time with those little reasons you’re working so hard in the first place.
Whether you were an unintentional entrepreneur or not, look at self-employment as a chance to remake your life the way you want it to be. Don’t kill yourself from 8 to 5 just because that’s what your last employer expected. If you want to work a few hours while the kids are at school, take the afternoon off for quality time, and then work a few more hours after they are in bed, that’s up to you.
You may be an unintentional entrepreneur, but you can be deliberate in recreating your life.
Download the PowerPoint 
You are invited South of Market to Langton Labs, on July 15th, for an evening of networking with local small business owners. Over pizza and beer in this local gallery, we’ll take the opportunity to learn from veteran entrepreneurs and gain some insight on the fundamentals of a new business (many of which keep us from doing the work that we love!)
