In our blogs series about the Challenges of Working from Home Rather Than at an Office Space Toronto, we have talked about dealing with distractions from family and friends as well as the professional appearance of an Office Space Toronto While Working From Home.

Finding the balance between work and home life when working from home is not as easy it is when you work in an office space Toronto with structure and procedures. While working from home as a self-employed business person means you have to take more control over your schedule and your environment, you have to make sure you also find the idea balance between work and home. Far too often the lines get blurred and the quality of not only your home life is affected, but the productivity of your business can also suffer.

Remember, “you work from home, not at home.” Do not let your home office become your prison. Here are some tips collected from various work-at-home experts.

  1. Minimize distractions. Avoid getting caught up with household chores while you are working, and especially avoid using the television to keep you company.
  2. Know when to stop working. Having a specific set of business hours will make it easier for family and friends to know when and when not to cause distractions. Think of it as leaving your office space for rent Toronto, even if it is just leaving the room where you do your work.
  3. Don’t eat lunch at your desk. Take the time to have a break and refresh. This can also help you to be more productive when you return to your desk with renewed energy.
  4. Deal with business tasks and issues only during business hours. In other words, leave work at “the office.”
  5. Schedule regular “dates” with your spouse and regular “play time” with your children.
  6. Schedule breaks or “procrastination times.” Try to schedule in a five or ten-minute break once every 2 hours. Maybe use that time to take a short walk around the block. You could also use a break to check in on Facebook or or Twitter, but set a timer to let yourself know when your break is over.
  7. Take at least one weekday off per month to play. Taking a weekday for yourself once a month to do something just for yourself will help you better deal with the stress of working in isolation.
  8. Make a list of fun things you want to do. Plan these with your limited time off and then start doing them. You may not be able to take a full week’s vacation with your family, but there are lots of  adventures you can plan around an arbitrary 3 or 4-day weekend.
  9. Use your office for business-related activities only. This mean not using your office space for anything that is not business. As well, try avoiding using other parts of your home for business on a regular basis, because you want to keep the two separate.
  10. Include your spouse in your business. This means keeping your spouse up to date on what you are doing, not only the challenges, but also your triumphs and successes. If you and your spouse work together, try to avoid talking about business after business hours.

While these tips sound simple, they may not be easy to follow. Only you can make the commitment to  practice them and help you find that work/life balance when you work from home by yourself. Remember that there is no corporate policy or procedure manual for working in a home-office environment like there was when you worked for someone else at a downtown Toronto office space. You may find that the improvement in your home/life balance will go a long way in having your family and friends understand your business boundaries. However, your office productivity will also get a big boost.