Okay, so it has officially been 1 week since I started working from home as the owner of ABlake Enterprises, Social Media Management and Consulting.  

Needless to say, there have been several lessons that I’ve learned in such a short period of time and today I am going to start with the 3 E’s – When Working From Home or in other words “Working From Home Tips from Toni, owner of ABlake Enterprises”.

Eat

Exit

Entertain

However, before I get started, let me tell you that this is not the first time that I actually worked from home. Back in 2004, when I was a Procurement Specialist for IBM I worked from home for about a year, and trust me, after that year ended I realized just how hard I had worked.  

Successfully starting your own business entails hard work and long hours which I am willing to do because it’s a direct reward to me and my family and not for someone else, however, I will not make the same mistakes twice.

3 E’s – When Working From Home

Eat

Rising at 6:30 am was something that I never did when I worked outside the home so this means that I have also changed my morning routine. After dressing and putting on makeup, yes, no bare face for me, at least not yet, instead of grabbing a mug of coffee and a breakfast bar running to the car for a 50-mile commute, I can now enjoy a sit-down meal. 

After dressing, reading scriptures and praying, I jump start my digestive system with a small glass of lemon water, take my vitamins and then brew a cup of coffee.

A few hours later, hubby and I prepare and enjoy a meal together, he has been retired for a few years so he rises when he wants, none of that waking up at 6:30 jazz, especially after getting up every morning at 5:00 am to pray.

I do have to remind myself to stop mid day for a snack or shake and then shut down at 5:00 p.m. and “leave the office” before dinner, which is now eaten before 8:00 PM!

Exit

Unlike being in an office where you can stop at someone’s cubicle to chat, working alone in a home office can be very isolating so it’s important to get up and walk away.  If you remember my Podcast with Dr. Dave, then you know that sitting can be the new smoking and the last thing I need is a bigger blogger’s butt!

I try to get up and walk outside or around the house a few times during the day, stopping sometimes to watch an episode of a “judge show” which I found to be one of hubby’s guilty pleasures.

Entertain

No, I am not talking about taking in a mid-day movie or sitting on the sofa all afternoon watching television. I have found listening to smooth jazz helps me to concentrate as I work on client’s content and Alexa has my playlist down pat.  

I also take time to listen to informative Podcasts and videos, however, I never start my day without first listening to Les Brown or Tony Robbins on YouTube which is something that I did during my morning commute before I started working from home.

There are many other perks for working from home and I will continue to blog about them as time goes on, however, if you want to read more about how other entrepreneurs have started a successful business, check out Krystal Perkins as she has assisted many with successfully starting a business.

Krystal Perkins is a marketing and Information Technology professional who is based in Sydney, Australia. She has over 15 years experience in digital marketing, strategic marketing, digital inclusion, technology, telecommunications, and IT and related services.    Krystal mentors and coaches local marketing teams to grow their brand and deliver strategic B2B Marketing.

With the assistance of Krystal, numerous entrepreneurs have started a successful business in Australia. She advises most of these business owners that they do not require a lot of capital, however, proper insurance is required, and small marketing purchases including a website, business cards and a design for a logo are necessary.   

To learn more about Krystal Perkins, please head over to her website.

Let’s Chat > Do you have any tips as I continue my journey and work from home?