Balancing Children And A Home Business

Black Enterprise:

Many entrepreneurs set up shop at home so they can spend more time with their children. But combining kids and a home business is not easy. Here are some ways to make the balancing act easier:

• Get your kids involved. If your kids are interrupting your work every 10 minutes, give them a small task to do within your business, such as getting lunch, faxing and copying documents, or filing papers. The young kids can open junk mail or flip through old catalogs.
• Take regular breaks with your kids. Set aside time that you will devote entirely to your kids. Give them your undivided attention. They will appreciate the time, and respect your need to work later on.
• Set a work schedule. Create a schedule that you’ll follow every day (except in emergencies, of course). If necessary, set office hours and post them so family members will know when you’re working.
• Plan telephone calls. If you have small children, try to schedule calls during nap time or when they are less active. Also, give them a toy or their favorite video to watch while you talk.
• Childproof your office. To avoid mishaps, make dangerous items inaccessible and safeguard important ones. Store sharp objects in hard-to-reach places and put papers in locked filing cabinets.
• Hire help. Hire a baby-sitter when your work flow is extra heavy or you need to meet a deadline.
• Use technology. When working at home, you should have a separate phone line for business calls. Also, take advantage of e-mail. Should your teenagers hog the phone, you can zap messages to customers any time of the day.
• Make use of the 24-hour day. As a home-based business owner, you can work in the evening after the kids have gone to bed or in the morning before they get up.
• Give gold stars. Rewarding your children for good behavior may give you an opportunity to finish an important report or call undisturbed. Allow them to earn treats for letting Mom or Dad work uninterrupted.