There’s a famous saying that goes, “Never mix business with pleasure”. Pleasure or not, your business should be separate from your personal life. Between in-house wrangles and petty squabbles, it stagnates. If you have your fair share of drama, this could mean serious losses which are easily avoidable. Here are some tips on how to separate your business from personal life.
- Register Your Business
It’s worth the investment to register your business and people will take your business more seriously. Whether it’s a sole proprietorship or a limited liability company, taking this step will ensure that your business is now a separate legal entity. This protects not just your personal life but your personal asset as well.
- Establish Boundaries
Whether it’s with your employees or partners, having clear rules will help distinguish between work and personal life. Avoid getting sucked into personal conversations with colleagues as this can be both time consuming and distracting. If someone is having a problem, recommend the right person to address those issues. However, if you’re in a position to solve the issue, do so in a professional manner. You should also discourage certain conversations at your business.
- Learn To Say No
Creating relationships at your business is important for a friendlier environment. However, some people might take advantage of that and you need to be ready to put your foot down. Whether it’s a habit of missing work or asking for an advance, you should learn when to say no. Make sure there’s no preferential treatment to prevent things from getting personal.
- Create A Work Schedule
Human beings are creatures of habit. Therefore, if there are no defined schedules, it’s easier to bring up their personal life. Keep everyone at the office busy to avoid idleness that could lead to an altercation. Additionally, make sure everybody knows how strict work time is and consequences in case of a violation.
- Use Different Social Sites
It’s easy to mix your personal life with your business on online platforms. If you’re running an online business, create separate accounts for your business. Additionally, you can use a different site for different purposes. Social media platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter are good to create a professional account while Instagram and Facebook are good for socializing.
- Purchase A Second Phone
Mobile phones have become our remote offices and sometimes, it’s hard to distinguish between work and personal life. The most convenient solution is to have two separate phones for work and at home. This way, you won’t be tempted to mix the two and can silence one depending on the environment. Additionally, it’s also safer to have a separate phone in order to avoid personal information from being leaked.
- Create A Separate Working Space
Even if you work from home, having a designated work area helps separate your business from your work life. Make sure people recognize this area as your workspace and respect the boundaries. Creating this space also gives you a healthy work-life balance which prevents a clash of the two worlds. Productivity: Working From Home: 10 Ways To Make It Work
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