I suspect that, like me, most of CCNI members work from home and are solopreneurs. In the member survey completed last fall, only 6.78% of our members reported working as internal coaches with an organization. I began thinking, what impact does working alone and from home have on our businesses?
Here is a small sampling of what I have learned in six plus years of working alone from home:
- As an introvert, I like the comfort and quiet of home. With no commute time or traffic to tie me up, I should have lots of time, right? Actually, days fly by fast and often too fast to get everything done.
- After long periods on the phone or Skype with clients, I’m happy when my wife returns so we can catch up with one another and get away from the tedium of business.
- Sometimes I miss having an office team to do my information technology, accounting, scheduling and event management duties, all of which demand lots of time and energy.
- Although there are fewer interruptions (no chatty co-workers dropping by my office) I often miss having someone nearby to bounce thoughts around and to help me process ideas.
- I’ve never gotten as organized in my converted spare bedroom office as I did when I had a full-time office. (Too much stuff)
- It is easy to get distracted by phone calls to my home number. (Who knew how many times telemarketers and scammers called each day?)
- Because I don’t have to go to an office for what others see as real work, I get asked to do lots of volunteer things at my church where I’m very active already. (Mostly they want my help during business hours) For me, because I care, it is very hard to say “No.”
- Working alone and from home is a lot tougher than most of us think. It requires focus, discipline and the ability to balance life well.
Now it is your turn. What is the best advice you’d give a fellow Christian coach to help him or her succeed while working alone and from home? I’d love to hear your tips on how you manage working alone and from home.
You can leave a comment on our Facebook page or in the CCNI LinkedIn group. You never know who your tip might help! Let’s compile a list of tips, tools and resources that we can all use to improve our businesses.
As your board, we all deal with the same kinds of issues in how we serve our members well. It is a responsibility we take seriously. Lots of good stuff is going on behind the scenes.
Keep doin’ the works…
In HIM,
Kelly McClelland, CCMC, CJSS
Immediate Past President
