Do you enjoy sewing? If the answer is yes, you may want to look in to starting an alterations business! If you already have a sewing machine, then you’re ready to get started! However, if not and looking for an inexpensive one, you can find second-hand ones online!

You can advertise and market yourself online on social media  and other websites such as gumtree to build your client base. In addition, you can even put up flyers in your local dry cleaners to increase your client base.

We all enjoy coming together to celebrate big moments, especially weddings! However, planning these events can be stressful. It may even cause sleepless nights worrying about the success of your wedding. Therefore, having someone there to help organise your wedding makes it a convenient option and reduces stress.

Therefore, if you have a flare for design and enjoy being organised, wedding planning may be a career path for you to take if you’re looking to create a small business! With the use of social media, you can really market yourself. For example, this may be through showcasing images of events you have organised in the past or taking some sample images of ideas that you have.

Do you love spending time with animals? You could turn this into income! In fact, becoming a pet sitter could be very rewarding and is a great idea if you love animals and have a pet-friendly household.

This could be for the day, or for a few says or weeks if they go on a holiday. Usually, friends, family, and neighbours are a great way to get start this type of small business! You can always market yourself on social media and other websites such as gumtree. You could also put up flyers in veterinary clinics and local parks.

If you enjoy being in the kitchen and are an expert at a particular dish or dessert, you could consider starting a small business in catering! Also, the best part is you don’t have to leave your home. You can whip up everything in your own kitchen, and could choose to transport it yourself, or get it picked up and delivered to the event location.

For example, some catering ideas for your small business may be:

• Weddings
• Corporate catering
• Buffet catering
• Food truck catering

In addition, you can make your own social media page and take photos of your creations to get your business out there. With permission, keep making your creations for events of family and friends to increase word of mouth. You could even create business cards and start handing them out at these events!

Are you an expert writer and editor? If so, starting a business from home as a resume writer may be a great option for you! You would be able to assist clients by creating a lasting first impression by showcasing their skills and experience in a way that stands out from the crowd.

Even though there are no formal experience or training is required, you will need to have strong writing and interviewing skills, and have a creative flare.

If you are good with numbers, then you would be able to advertise your accounting or bookkeeping services! In fact, you may want to start with businesses who are just starting up and may not have time to keep up with their accounts.

However, if you’re looking for a more involved level of accounting you can then do balance sheets, income statements, and other financial reports on a monthly, quarterly, and/or annual basis, depending on the needs of the business.

Even though working from home doesn’t require as much talking as an office job, communication is still one of the most important work skills to have! Keeping in touch with your boss, colleagues or clients is crucial. This is because you will still need to correspond with them which may be via online chat, emails, video meetings, and phone calls. Some programs may be Skype, Microsoft Teams or Google Hangouts.

Therefore, you need to make sure you have good communication skills. In addition, because you are working from home, you need to make sure that all forms of communication are clear and concise, and that you respond in a timely manner.

When it comes to working from home, organisation is one of the major work skills to have. Just as you would working in an office environment, it’s important to still plan and prioritise your tasks for the day when working from home. Sometimes when we know we have a lot of tasks to complete it can be overwhelming, which leads to feeling demotivated. However, if you plan your day it will allow you to remain organised, improving your time management! In addition, you will be able to think much clearer of what you have to accomplish for the day.

Start with making a list of everything you need to work on and complete, then prioritise. Once you have prioritised, block out times to work on each task. By breaking these tasks up into blocks, you are more likely to remain productive, and it also allows you to tick these off as you go.

Even though your job may not be technical, having basic technology work skills is important when working from home. You will need to be familiar with any extensions, software or programs that you require to work from home. Therefore, you may need learn how to use different software, how to update programs and how to keep your computer running smoothly. This ensures that you are comfortable working autonomously and remain productive through the day.

Some types of programs or applications you may require are:

• Adobe

• Microsoft Office

• Online chat program

• Customer Service Management Systems

Time management is one of the most crucial work skills to have to be productive working from home. To figure out how much time you have in a day, you need to set your hours, if they haven’t already been set for you. If you have the luxury of choosing your own hours, ensure that you set them when you know you will be most productive. If you have children you may want to create a routine when you know they’ll be asleep, at child care or school when you can be most productive.

After you have set your hours, make sure you determine your heavier weighted tasks to your lighter tasks. By allocating more time to the heavier ones and less time to the lighter ones it will allow you to complete everything in a timely manner, compared to allowing them all the same amount of time. It’s also important to know when you will schedule in meetings or phone calls around these tasks, to ensure you’re managing your time effectively.

Working from home provides you with the luxury of setting your own schedule that suits you. However, one of the challenges frequently faced is staying motivated. Therefore, self-discipline is one of the integral work skills to have. This may include sleeping in, spending time watching TV, or spending too much time on social media. Therefore, you have to set boundaries to get your work done and stay on track.

Without face-to-face contact and an office environment, it can be hard to stay motivated. As a result, you will need to remove all distractions. This can achieved by working far away from your bedroom or living room. If you can, try to create your own office space. If you are finding this hard, try to set yourself goals and reward yourself to complete a task. This will enhance your productivity!

One of the most important time management skills to implement, is to set your work hours. This is so you know exactly when and how long you’ll be working for. It can become very easy to log online at different points of the day. If you have children you may want to create a routine when you can be most productive, such as when you know your children will be asleep, at child care or at school. This will allow you to minimise distractions, but also ensure that you can spend time with them when they’re at home.

Make sure you communicate these hours with your boss, colleagues or clients so they know when you are available to contact. One of the biggest challenges people face when working from home is saying they’re always online. Therefore, it’s important to make sure you don’t do this, as it will lead to burn out.

When it comes to time management skills and working from home, it can be very easy to lose track of time. It’s important to still plan and prioritise your tasks for the day when working from home, just like you would working in an office environment. Sometimes when we know we have a lot of tasks to complete it can be overwhelming, which leads to feeling demotivated. However, if you plan your day it will allow you to remain organised, improving your time management skills! In addition, you will be able to think much clearer of what you have to accomplish for the day.

Start by making a list of everything you need to work on and complete that day, and then prioritise. Once you have prioritised, set time blocks for each task. By breaking these tasks up into blocks, you are more likely to remain productive, and it also allows you to tick these off as you go.

The idea of working from home in your pyjamas can sound very appealing. However, as part of your time management skills, you need to keep your work life and home life completely separate. This is because the brain usually identifies certain spaces with certain tasks. Ideally, your home office should be an area that is far away from your bedroom, as this will help your brain identify your home office with work, which will increase your productivity. Overall, minimising distractions.

When you plan your day, you should also make sure to plan your breaks. Even though you’re working from home, you still need to take breaks! This is one of the best time management skills!

If you’re working a long day, set aside time for a lunch break, and if you’re only working a few hours you should still set time for a morning or afternoon tea break. Not only will these allow you to take some time for yourself, but it will also help you to come back to your work refreshed. This means you can regain your focus and be more productive.

With telecommuting, your work hours can be on a flexible work schedule. This means that you can choose your own work hours. This gives you more control over your personal schedule, without having to negotiate work terms and conditions, compared to if you have to commute to work.

Commuting to and from work takes up time that could be spent elsewhere. It can also be stressful when spending hours in a car or public transport to and from work each way. By only travelling from your bed to your laptop, you will save time on commuting from home to the office.

Not only will you see a difference in your bank account from reduce the commute to work every day, but you will also save money in other areas. You will no longer need to spend money on your daily coffee and lunch, and you won’t need to spend money on your work wardrobe – you can even work from home in your pyjamas!

When working independently at your own pace, you tend to be a lot more productive and happier. You will find that you are more focused and productive if you remove yourself from stressors and distractions in a workplace. This is one of the greatest benefits of reducing the commute to work.

Childcare can be expensive. Therefore, the decision to work from home and not commute to work has saved parents the costs and stress associated with trying to balance their family with their career. Not only do you get extra time with the kids, but you don’t have to worry about such a big expense!

One of our first home office ideas, is to make a list of the equipment you will need. By writing all of this down before setting up your home office, you will avoid missing any of the essentials.

The idea of working from home in your pyjamas can sound very appealing. However, it is important to keep your work life and home life completely separate. This is because the brain usually identifies certain spaces with certain tasks. Ideally, your home office should be an area that is far away from your bedroom, as this will help your brain identify that your home office with work, which will increase your productivity.

Working from home can leave you open to distractions, therefore, designating breaks will help with procrastination. If you find you are distracted by food in the kitchen, make your home office a no-food zone. This way you get a well-deserved break, however, when you return to your desk you are able to re-focus and get back to work. In addition, if you live with family or friends, one of the best home office ideas is to invest in some noise-cancelling headphones to block out surrounding sounds. Another alternative is to listen to classical music through headphones, as this can improve your focus and increase your productivity.

Having the right technology is vital for any home office. In addition, as you will be working online, it’s very important to make sure you have a good internet connection. Additionally, another one of our home office ideas, is to make sure that you do your research to see if your current laptop or computer meets your specific needs. This way you can determine if you need to upgrade them. Therefore, if you know that you will need to print or copy documents, investing in a good printer, scanner and photocopier will provide you with technical convenience and save time!

TNothing better than natural light! It can boost your mood, keep you alert and also improve your sleep quality. Therefore, one of our home office ideas is to move your desk close to the windows, as it will help keep you alert and be more productive. Having a natural light in your home office gives you something to look at when your eyes need a break from looking at the computer screen.

When it comes to designing your home office, one of our home office ideas is to not cut corners on seating. Your office chair is where you will spend sitting many hours each day. Therefore, it’s important that you don’t sacrifice the quality of it.

However, if you’re unsure on what to look for in an office chair, an ergonomically correct chair is a great home office investment and can reduce any back, neck or shoulder strain.

You may be working from home, but clutter in any office can be distracting. Therefore, it’s important to be creative with your storage! Try using wall storage such as built-in shelves above the desk, baskets, bookshelves or magazine type racks. If you find yourself short on space, one of our home office ideas is to not let corners or empty space in your office go to waste, use them!

One of our next home office ideas is to add some plants. This not only adds a bit of colour, but can boost your concentration levels, reduce stress and make you happier. In addition, plants filter the air and bring a sense of tranquillity.

Natural light is always best, but you may find yourself working in the evenings, or even early in the morning before the sun comes up. Therefore, one of the best home office ideas is to purchase a good desk or floor lamp to keep your office well-lit!