Work at Home Tips for a Stress Free Business (Well…Almost)

Do you know what is the most vital aspect of your business?   Sure that awesome new digital devise you got recently, which will REVOLUTIONIZE your office once you figure it out is fabulous.  And that new phone that allows you connect to cyberspace anywhere you go is awesome. But none of these would matter one bit if the person running the show were to get sick and not be able to work.  Even for a month or two if you were disabled, can you imagine the consequences?  So what’s the most valuable aspect of your business?  Right, you are.

At any stage of your business, whether you just opened shop, or have a full client base established, it’s so important to remember this. You need to keep yourself in good physical health in order to have enough energy to run a successful business and home life.  But how?  There’s so much to do, and so little time to do it.

Here are a few tips that you might find beneficial:

• Get enough sleep.  Remember that even though you could go on 4 hours sleep at one time, you probably can’t do it now, so don’t try. A good night’s sleep makes everything feel better.
• Have a schedule to follow and stick to it as much as possible.  Avoid unnecessary interruptions, including constant e-mail checking.
• Create boundaries, both work-related and personal boundaries. You can’t do it all and once you start saying no, you’ll be amazed how truly awesome it feels.  And how great your business runs.
• Exercise.  Not again you’re saying!  But it’s so true how much better you will feel and how much more energy you will have. How about just a small walk in between projects? Get to the gym.  Plan to go early in the A.M. or early evening before you get sidetracked and it gets put off. You’re feel more energized and good about yourself.
• Get out of the office and do your work whenever possible.  I do a lot of writing and proofing as an author and publicist. Instead of sitting in the office, I take it the local coffee shop, bookstore, library, outside patio, beach, etc.  It feels great to have a change of pace.  A good cup of java and I’m good to go.
• Prepare a healthy lunch and snack the night before, just like you do for the kids.  You’ll be amazed how good it feels to stop and eat a pre-made salad or sandwich.
• Stretch in your chair for stress relief and more energy.  This is a great help for me.  I will also at times sit on an exercise ball instead of my chair.  That enables me to stretch my muscles and also just feel like I’m getting away from my desk, even thought I’m right there.  The exercise ball makes it more fun, so I’m more productive.
• Take small vacations to get away.  Plan a Friday, Saturday, Sunday vacation.
• Take weekends and evenings off. It’s so easy to get caught up working 24/7.  But when you take this time off, you feel so much more energized.

And remember it’s a learning process.  No one’s perfect. One of the greatest gifts I did learn was to no longer beat myself up so much.  So what if I didn’t do it all today.  So what if my house didn’t pass a white glove test today or ever.  I Really Enjoy Life Today — I Enjoy My Business — And I Really Enjoy My Family Too.

Hope you enjoy these tips. Stop by our site for more tips and free goodies on how to run your business more successfully and achieve the best in everything you do.

About the Author:
Diana Ennen is the President of Virtual Word Publishing, http://www.virtualwordpublishing.com and author of numerous books on starting a virtual assistant business including Virtual Assistant The Series: Become a Highly Successful Sought After VA.  We specialize in publicity and marketing and press release writing.  Email me at Diana@virtualwordpublishing.com for additional information.  Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/dianaennen.