Most work from home entrepreneurs will tell you, there's a sense of freedom and creativity you just don't get in the typical office environment. There are no office or coworker distractions to cut into your work time, and you don't have to deal with office politics. However you still have to set some decorum and keep a professional mindset. Here are 5 ways to stay professional and productive as a work from home entrepreneur.

Take Frequent Work Breaks

Your home office is not an extended break room but after long hours of sitting, doing social media, and answering emails, your brain becomes extremely lethargic. At this point you require a mental reboot and the best way to do that is to take frequent breaks outdoors. The temptation to sit back, put your feet up, and relax is so great you can easily drift off into a sense of "couch potatoeness." For many, working from home means sitting down at the computer, but this can severely drain your physical energy. Get up every forty-five minutes or so and walk away, get something to drink or simply stretch.

Designate an Office Only area

Other than the benefit of writing off a space in your home on your tax return, you need to have an area dedicated specifically for your work business. Whatever your physical living situation is, select a space that creates as little distraction away from your daily work. Most people with multiple rooms might convert that area as their home office, while others might use a open garage space, or even sections of a living room or den. Whatever space you use, make sure it's big enough accommodate your work needs and claim the yearly business tax benefit.

Stay dedicated to your schedule

Working from home generally creates more time flexibility and a less stressful atmosphere, but it's important to create a daily schedule of tasks and deadlines and stick to it. You might be working for yourself, but you have to create the mindset of a serious self-employed individual. Your work production shows how dedicated you really are to your home based small business. If you service outside clients, they expect the same courtesy of meeting deadlines as someone provides same or similar service from a corporate office building.

Create a self-imposed home office dress code

Studies show that sitting around in scraggly clothes or barely nothing at all while working from home creates a negative and counterproductive psychological effect on your work. Excluding video conferencing, no one sees you while you from home, so less clothing creates an increased sense of relaxation and decreased sense of urgency. There's no need for shirt and slacks or casual business wear, but you'll stay better focused if you at least force yourself to wear something comfortably light but not fully business casual. However, if you have clients or visitors coming through regularly you should self-impose a business casual dress code.

Separate business and personal phone calls

Due to small business budgets or lack of recurring cash flow, it can be difficult to maintain monthly expense for two separate phones. Most beginner work-from-home entrepreneurs sacrifice the advantage of separate phone lines for business and personal calls for a single phone that handles both. When at all your budget permits, have a dedicated phone line to handle business calls and voicemail. There are also online services available that allow you to create a custom business voicemail for a low monthly fee.

The same rules of business apply if you operate a small business out of your home, just more relaxed. However, what's very important is keeping a professional frame of mind and avoid the sitting on the couch while you work and eat mentality. More Entrepreneurrookie articles about running a home based business:

• You Finally Escape Corporate Life to Start A Home Business, Can You Make it Work?

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