Dealing With Unsupportive Family Members
When you made the decision to work from home, did you have your family’s support? Even if you did, it can sometimes be difficult for family members (especially husbands and in-laws!) to understand that what you do is actually a job! And not just any job, combining work with kids is more exhausting than any 9-5 I’ve ever had!
Signs of unsupportive family members can be subtle. Just little things that show you they don’t really take you seriously, like asking you to do extra chores or take on responsibilities because “You’re not as busy as I am.” It can be frustrating and it is very important that you let people know from the start that you are running your home business as just that, a business.
Setting a work schedule might be the way to go, but if you have small children at home to look after, a schedule might not be possible. You can try hanging out a Do Not Disturb sign while you are focused on your business, to let people know that you are not to be disturbed. You will have to be firm with them, but it will pay off in the long run.
Learn to say no. This is probably the most important part of working from home. You might feel guilty that you are just getting started and aren’t yet earning much, or maybe you overestimate how much time you have now that you don’t have to commute. When someone asks you for a favor that you just don’t have time for, tell them so. Let them know that you are working and are not available 24-7 for running errands. Remember, if you give in once or twice to non-emergencies, you will soon have everyone requesting your time!
Plan, plan, plan ahead! If you have your daily, weekly and even monthly tasks laid out on your calendar, you can easily show it to your husband and let him know that you need to get everything done in a timely manner. He will be better able to understand why you spend so much time in your workshop or on the computer when you indicate the actual activities that you’ll be doing!
When you get your paycheck, flaunt it! This might sound rude, but it will let people know that you are serious and that your business is real, home-based or not. Besides, it’s fun!
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Words of wisdom. I went through that with my family. Funny thing is one of them now works for me.