How to Make the Switch from Office to At-Home Entrepreneur

by Jessica Sanders

2012 is shaping up to be the year of the entrepreneur. With so many Gen Y’ers pursuing their dreams, you may be wondering if it’s possible for you too. The answer to that is, yes. The better question is how you will transition from your 9-5 into your at home dream job. While the task may seem daunting, if you have a passion for your new business and the drive to make it work, you can swiftly move from one to the other. While it may not be easy or stress free, you’ll thank yourself in the end.

“You work now like no one else will, so you can live like no one else can.” Unknown

Use Every Available Minute

Every entrepreneur will tell you, starting your own business requires long hours and an ability to bounce back from the ups and downs. If you don’t have the luxury of going without a paycheck, you’ll be putting in your 40 hours at the office, and then some. Take advantage of every free moment.

• Lunch break: If you have an hour break, spend it working on the business. Make phone calls or take advantage of an extra hour at the computer without distraction. Eat lunch and keep on keepin’ on.
• After work: You come home from work and that couch looks like your best friend. Hunker up with your computer and keep chugging along.
• Weekends: It’s important that you maintain a healthy balance between work and play on the weekends. Two full days is a lot of valuable time for work, but you should also allow yourself to get out for a while. For your sanity, and the longevity of your business, this is imperative.

Get Your At Home Space Ready

Part of starting your business is getting your at home office prepared. When working from home, it’s critical that you have a separate space to work in. When you’re in the kitchen, surrounded by clutter and a pile of dirty dishes, it’s nearly impossible to get your head in work mode.

Take advantage of having time on your side and prepare your best work space:

• If you don’t have an extra room, section off a corner of the house – whether it’s in your living room, bedroom or the spare room. It’s important to have a physical space to escape to.
• Keep it free of personal items that might remind you of home. This helps keep you in the work mindset.
• Be sure to have a desk. Sitting at a desk is synonymous with getting work done, and this will be helpful for you.

Don’t Leave Until Its Ready

Ask any entrepreneur, and they’ll tell you, the highs are usually quickly followed by a low. Even if you’ve had a breakthrough, give yourself a bit more time before putting in your notice at the office: “Never has the phrase ‘change is the only constant’ felt more apt, and never has it been more important for businesses to be agile and ready to adapt,” says Entrepreneur.com.

• Give yourself some more time with a steady paycheck, while you learn how to adapt and steer your business out of crisis or slow periods.
• Consider cutting your hours to part-time as the business starts to pick up speed, and make the final transition slow and painless.

Switching from your office and a steady paycheck, to your own at home business, is a bold move. For many, it is necessary. When your 9-5 is no longer making you happy, it’s time to explore other options. Starting your own business and working from home just might be your key to happiness and lifelong fulfillment. Take the plunge, and start today.

Jessica Sanders is an avid small business writer touching on topics from social media to phone systems. She writes for an online resource that gives advice on topics including payroll processing for lead generation resource, Resource Nation.