Deciding to work from home can be the best or worse decision you make, depending on your degree of motivation and self-discipline. Many people want to work from home and indeed when asked for their degree of seriousness in starting a home based business on a 1-10 scale, most people will state they are an 8,9 or 10. However, many of these persons do not understand what it takes to work from home and fewer than 10% will be successful at it. If you understand a few simple rules for a successful home based business and are committed to following those rules your chances for success are greatly enhanced.

1. Set regular hours. There will be no boss to set your hours, give you assignments or make you accountable. Isn't that what we want? To be our own boss? Then we must act like a boss. You must set regular work hours. The great part is they are yours to chose but if you don't set hours then no work will get done.

2. Set specific goals. It is not enough to say "I will make $500 this month". How will you do that? You must WRITE down specifically what it will take to acheive your goals. Write these daily. Example: I will contact 50 leads and set 5 appointments daily 4 days a week. If you do not meet that goal you must re-evaluate what it will take to meet it and either change your level of activity or change your goal.

3. Make yourself accountable. Share your daily goals (what you will do)with a group you have plugged into or with a family member or friend. This makes you more likely to do what it takes to meet that goal (and also can create some friendly competition).

4. Understand time management and importance of organization: The majority of your time should be spent in the activities of your business that generate income (enrolling customers, selling products, etc). However, if you are not organized or spend your time "surfing the net" you will not be able to devote your valuable time to the revenue producing side of your business. All businesses, home based are not, have administrative needs that do not produce revenue. You will have these as well. Budget your time to keep up with your paperwork, training and follow-ups during times you cannot generate revenue (late at night/early in the morning, weekends, holidays or other non-revenue generating times). Organize your home office without spending alot of money. Simple file folders hanging in a crate or box. Label files so that everything is at your fingertips and you do not have to search for it.

5. Save all receipts: Learn from an accountant or tax preparation expert the many tax deductions you are entitled to when running your business from home. These can save you alot of money. Save every receipt for anything you spend on your home based business. You will be surprised what you can deduct.

Your home based business is just that-a BUSINESS. You are the one that decides the hours and the activities of the business so you must act as a responsible BOSS. Good luck to you and remember that "Opportunities are never lost-they are taken by others" Anonymous