This is a guest post by James Martell from AffiliateMarketersBootcamp.com.
Starting an Internet Marketing business, or any home-based business, can be intimidating.
Where do you start?
Perhaps you have already started one, but are feeling like you are in a rut.
How do you get out of it?
Whatever you do, don’t take that as a sign that you should give up on your dream. It’s normal to have these concerns.
What isn’t normal is to actually push forward and not give up. If you look at the statistics for home-based businesses, it’s not pretty, and will discourage most people. Why? Because most fail. However, that is because most people throw in the towel way too soon, sometimes due to lack of determination, or organization.
The good news is that if you are reading this, then you are probably already a step ahead of the norm and not going to get lost in the statistics. The bad news is that most people have ideas, but are at a loss in how to best implement them for optimum results. As long as you have decided to not give up, read on to get some tips on pushing forward.
Whether you are just at the beginning, or if you need to get out of a rut in the midst of your business adventure, the following information will help.
Look Around Your Work Area
Sometimes the obvious needs to be repeated, and repeated as often as it takes to stay on course. Fortunately, I learned early on the first step is to have a good plan, and to get organized. And the two had to go hand in hand for any hope at success.
I decided to try my hand at Internet Marketing back in 1999, with a little uncertainty of how it would turn out. The lack of experience I had could have easily held me back, but it didn’t. I just knew that what I was doing with a traditional job at the office wasn’t working for my family. The future was fast approaching and I needed to secure it.
I had the help of a friend, and with that, I looked into an affiliate program. Next, it became obvious to me that Internet Marketing was an avenue I wanted to take. Even with a lack of experience and not much more knowledge, I knew before doing anything else I had to organize my atmosphere…otherwise known as my home office.
To eliminate unnecessary distractions, I realized that I could not work in the midst of the household, in hopes that my family would part the way for me. That was not fair to them, and it would not be helpful for my career. I needed an area specifically set aside for my office. So, I went on the hunt for a desk, and found a variety to choose from such as a corner desk, glass top computer desks, and various others. After getting the one I wanted home, I organized the work area the best I could to diminish distractions. That was the first step in taking my new career seriously.
So, take a look around where you plan to work, or are working. Is it in the middle of your family’s activities, shared with others, or portable? If so, you should consider finding another area. Professional results, typically require a professional atmosphere.
The Key is Organization
Now is the time to find the right work space, before you start, or when you are trying to find new motivation. Finding a home office within your home isn’t always easy. You have barriers that are not typically an issue in a traditional office setting, such as space, or household traffic. However, you will find an area.
A small area is fine, but make sure you have a little leg room, as well as space for your equipment. Look all around and get creative. Think outside the box, or in the closets. I know someone who found his space in their guest room’s closet, because the items in there could be stored under the bed. He knew that the corner computer desks, which are often used in a home office, would not work for this. So, he found one that did.
The great part about having the office in the closet is that you can close the door to bring it back to a bedroom status, without disrupting your space. Other reasons it worked so well are:
- The main door in the bedroom acted as another barrier for privacy, indicating to the household that he was working.
- The space did not have to be shared, as it was out-of-the-way of other household members.
- By not taking up an entire room, it didn’t take up very much real space of the family home. This also saved in the cost of transitioning into a home office
What I recommend doing next is to find various tools, equipment, and computer programs to make your everyday tasks easier. Google Docs and Skype can definitely help with tasks such as saving keywords, communicating with others, or even sharing data and work that needs to be shared with others. Do some searching, or ask the people you know for ideas. A good part of these tools are free, or have a free trial period. The main idea is to stay organized and work efficiently.
Spring Clean Throughout the Year
The downside to the many tools that are available is that the average computer gets bogged down with unnecessary programs, leading to a sluggish system. I take a couple of times a year (more often if needed), to check out all the programs on my computer.
Using Windows, it’s easy for me to see which programs are being used, or not being used. And, the ones which are not being used, I delete them. It frees up space on my computer, and gives it a ‘tune-up’ to add to the longevity of the system. You also might find a program you forgot about and could benefit from using. I do this with my overall area as well to keep it all organized, making it easier to work in.
An uncluttered atmosphere leads to more productivity. So, if you take the time in setting up a home office, and start a business, do yourself a favor and treat it with respect. It will respect you in return.
In other words, come up with a plan, organize a work space, and then stick to it. You will see the rewards of an organized and well planned out project much quicker.
If you have any comments, questions, or ideas, I would very much like to hear them. Please leave them in the comment box below.
tyler you said
I had to put in a corner office in my bedroom. Something that I could close the door and keep the kids out. Distractions can kill a business.
I agree, I did the same, but i found it was bad fengshui to have the office where you sleep, bu you can put a towel over the pc everynight , its ment to help. 🙂
comfort is very important also prevent injury by focusing on ergonomics pain is no joke.
Hmm, an office is something that has to be thought calmly, to deciding where and how to place and organize. For silence is required when it comes to business, prices calm as possible. Great post.
I have set up my own office too several months ago but it is not in our house. There are a lot of distractions working at home so i decided to set up my office somewhere else. My office is now a multipurpose place where i can relax, sleep, eat and have time for recreation. Having a good place to work really helps a lot in the success of your business.
Some great tips. I cannot stress enough the importance of what you mentioned concerning cleaning out your PC. Especially Windows based systems. In the IM world, it is easy to grab every little shiny object and install it on your computer. Before you know it, you have a ton of stuff installed that you never use. Even something simple like all the toolbar apps that people add to Firefox can greatly slow down your productivity.
Lean and clean is the way I like my machine.
I find that one of the most difficult things about working at home is convincing your family that you are actually working, not playing solitaire, and need privacy and quiet time. I may have to resort to a “Do Not Disturb” sign.
LOL, i guess once we start to get the paycheck there wont be any troubles.Keep it up. I think money speaks louder than a ” Do not Disturb” Sign.
I totally agree that clearing clutter can increase productivity since clutter is actually visual noise and it can cause disruptions just like audible noise though on a more subtle level.
Being organized is definitely one of the important aspects to being a successful marketer. You need to have a thoroughly clean and efficient PC to be able to work fast. All your online business files easily accessible and not cluttered. Plus a fixed daily or weekly routine to keep up with all the online work. No one gets successful by laying back. You need a set goal and rabid daily hard work to reach our to your success.
I just started my small online business and I agree with you that it is very important to have a working space where you can place everything involved in your business. We just need that to keep track of everything. Having one on your home will be a good start for your business.
I think the most important thing is how you organize your place for home office. The comfy space along with your all useful things for home office can help a lot to set good home office. It’s not that easy but for making it successful one must follow such advices.