There are many challenges when running a business from home. One of them is the balance of time between work & family. This article I discovered at The Repozitory offers a few suggestions on drawing the line between work & leisure.
Protecting Family Time by Melissa Khalinsky
For many home based businesses, the line between business time and family time can be blurred. It is easy for clients for demand attention at all hours. As parents, it is more important than ever to protect your family time, drawing a line between work and leisure.
Here a few ways you can protect your family time.
1. Set office hours – even if your set hours are erratic, fitting around your children, set office hours when you will be working. Outside these hours, be un-contactable, by phone and email. Answer emails and phone messages during office hours.
2. Schedule family time – you put all your business meetings in your diary, to ensure you keep your appointments. Do the same with your family time – and ensure you keep your appointments!
3. Use voicemail – during family time, turn your mobile phone off and unplug your phone or screen your calls. If it is an important matter, your clients will leave a message or call back later. You may even want to change your voicemail message to let callers know when you will be back in the office.
4. Have a separate work area – if possible, keep your work area separate from your living area. If a separate room is unavailable, set yourself up in a corner that is designated as your office. Set yourself up so that your work can be put away during family time, so you are not tempted to start working while you are with your family.
Remember, if you were working for someone else, and working nine to five, your clients wouldn’t expect you to be available after hours, on weekends or when you are on holiday. Your family time is precious – protect it.
Melissa Khalinsky is a work at home mother of 2 boys. She runs
Business Mums Network, a support and information network for parents.
Article Source: The RepOZitory – FREE reprint articles from Australia for WAHMs and Business Mums
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Ciao for now,
Elena 
Great article – Thanks so much for sharing it:)
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I must admit, I often let work cross those boundaries into my family time. It can be very challenging when you love your work so much, but it’s something I make a genuine effort to keep in balance.
That’s a great post! I couldn’t agree more. I know many of the people I work with get started in a home based business, wanting to have more time and freedom to spend with family. Even with those desires, it’s easy to get distracted with other things.