When you work at home many people don't think you are working. You are constantly interrupted with phone calls and family activities can throw off your concentration. I have been working at home for 30 years and these tips keep me productive.

1. Find your space. It would be hard for me to write if my computer was in the kitchen or family room. I am fortunate to have a home office that I share with my husband. The downstairs office works well for both of us.

2. Get comfortable. To save money I bought a cheap computer chair. What a mistake. The chair was uncomfortable and by the end of the day my back was killing me. I finally bought a quality chair and it is wonderful. If you are to get any work done you have to be comfortable.

3. Get task lighting. Good lighting is a must for any home business. My desk is under a ceiling light. There are additional ceiling lights in the office, but they are not enough, so I have a floor lamp for dark days and evening work.

4. Set daily goals. When I get up in the morning I know what I will be working on: writing an article, researching article topics, editing, business emails and/or correspondence. As soon as I accomplish a goal I cross it off my list.

5. File papers fast. Regular filing, instead of piling, helps me to stay productive. I had to buy an extra cabinet to handle the paper overflow and I'm glad I did.

6. Clean out files. I just cleaned out my cabinets and was amazed at the size of my discard pile. Some documents had been filed on a "just in case" basis and I no longer needed them. One hour of cleaning generated inches of extra space in my filing cabinets.

7. Have a schedule. I get up at 5:30 a.m., make coffee, and start writing. Nobody else is up yet and this is my most productive time of the day. Figure out when you are the most productive and make the most of this time.

8. Get an answering machine. Phone contacts may be essential to your business. But phone calls really interrupt my writing, so I have an answering machine. If I answer the phone I end the conversation quickly. "Thanks for calling," I say. "I'm writing now and will call you back later."

9. Track your progress. The daily grind may obscure your progress. Updating my resume helps me to track my progress. You may do the same or keep an ongoing list of sales and products.

10. Promote your business. I promote my work by speaking at conferences, writing Internet articles, and writing for free. Though I have used a marketing firm, the cost was high, and the benefits were low. Find ways to promote your business, use them, and keep exploring new ways.

The success of a home business depends on the type of business, your business practices, and marketing trends. It also depends on you. I hope these tips help your business to grow and prosper.

Good luck!

Copyright 2008 by Harriet Hodgson