In Business / December 2005
At Home, At Work
For mothers who want it all, running a business from home offers the best of both the work and parenting worlds. But as any parent who has fielded phone calls while changing a diaper or bandaging a knee will admit, trying to work out of the home offers unique challenges.
Frequent interruptions top the list. Not only do interruptions make it difficult to maintain focus and momentum, they also can dramatically increase stress. Plus, it can be a challenging combination when income is tied directly to the ability to work efficiently.
Teresa Luquette, founded her business working out of her house in Nacogdoches, Texas. She built a million-dollar fortune from scratch while working from home and parenting two daughters. She gladly shares her suggestions for successful “homepreneuring” with other women who want to make their living and raise their children at the same time.
First, she says, “Be the CEO. Run your household as a business, with you in the CEO’s seat and your kids playing the role of staff. The challenges you face as a work-from-home entrepreneur are nearly identical to the challenges you’d face in corporate
America–the only difference is that the people you’re managing are your adorable children.”
Setting schedules and boundaries for the kids is next. Then, “Delegate! Identify everything that other people can handle just as well or better than you can–and then farm out those responsibilities.”
She also tells working mothers to let go, which is sometimes the hardest part for women who often forget there are only so many hours in a day and so much that can be done by one person who is not a super-power.
She suggests working with other work-at-home entrepreneurs, and “empathize!”
Most importantly, Teresa says, “Plan properly and quickly accept that projects will take longer to complete than expected whether you’re in your at-home office or a corporate setting. Sure, as a working parent, you’ll be socked with the “I don’t want you to work” guilt trip once in a while. But as a work-at-home parent, rest assured that you’re giving your kids the very best of both worlds–a nurturing parent who is there when your kids really need you…and a parent who sets a stellar example of what entrepreneurs can accomplish professionally without sacrificing their family values.”
Copyright © 2005-2006 A Woman's View. All rights reserved.
Femme Fair 2006
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