For many people who consider working from home, one of the motivating factors is the desire to spend more time with family. Another objective is often to create a flexible lifestyle that allows for more recreational and family activities. Once you begin to work from home, it’s important not to lose sight of those objectives.

A home based small business can be like any other small business – the owner/operator works very hard to build up the client base and increase the turnover. When the business is your own, the desire to achieve is significantly higher than when you are working for an employer. If you aren’t careful, your family members may soon be gently suggesting to you that you’re working longer hours than you were working before!

Here are 5 signs that you are in danger of defeating the purpose of working from home:

• You’re eating meals in the study while you work;
• Your family members have stopped asking you if you want to join their activities;
• You’ve stopped complaining about the “rubbish your children watch on tv” – you no longer have any idea what they’re watching;
• Your partner forgot to invite you to a barbecue at your house last weekend; and
• You recently turned down an invitation to go shopping/golfing/boating or for a free day spa treatment.

Seriously, if spending more time with your family was your primary objective in setting up your work from home operation, make it work that way for you. Here are a few suggestions for keeping your work practices in line with your original objectives:

• Have one or two days off where you do not think about or do any work related activity;
• Take extra time off when you can. You can always tell a prospective client you are “booked up” for certain dates. It’s amazing how less urgent jobs become when you tell someone you cannot do it in the time frame they’re requesting.
• Plan family activities in advance and don’t cast them aside for work.
• Plan your work around your scheduled family activities rather than schedule your family activities around your work.

If you work from home or are considering doing so, the chances are you are a person who values time with family and friends, and wants a more flexible lifestyle. Keep sight of that goal. Remember, when you’re working at home, there is nobody looking over your shoulder. Your clients have no idea how busy you are at any time. Consider your family your most important client and put them first.