If you have recently started freelancing or running your own business, you may find yourself working from home. For many, this is a dramatic switch, especially if they have spent a significant portion of their career in an office. Unfortunately, many freelancers and entrepreneurs struggle when making this switch. If you find yourself in this situation, we’ve got you covered. This article contains tips and pointers to help you remain focused when working from home. 

Define The Work-Life Balance 

The most common problem for new freelancers and entrepreneurs is the temptation to blur the line between work-life balance. For instance, it’s awfully easy to get chores done in the middle of the workday. Need to listen in on a conference call? Mute the phone and do the dishes – how convenient!

Not quite. The longer you work from home, the more you’ll find yourself wanting to push off work so that you can get things done around the house. Instead of trying to do both, you should establish guidelines to help maintain a work-life balance. You should dedicate yourself fully to each task. Meaning, you should block out and allocate time for your company. Similarly, you should do the same for your family. 

Another common mistake that new freelancers make is working around the clock. When working from home, it’s easy always to have the laptop open to answer emails and perform other work-related activities. By setting work hours, you will likely find yourself more dedicated and focused throughout the day. 

Find A Flexible Workspace In San Diego 

If you are a freelancer struggling to focus at home, consider a flexible workspace in San Diego. A flexible workspace is an excellent option because it allows you to be in a semi-corporate setting with like-minded individuals. Putting yourself in the presence of other young entrepreneurs could make working from home less boring and lonely. It could also allow you to establish connections and network. 

Remember that a flexible premium coworking space in San Diego would be a write-off as an expense for your company. Additionally, don’t feel as though you have to spend all day in the office. Many entrepreneurs find that they like to work from home for part of the day, and then head to the “office” when they need to focus on getting work done. Because it’s a flexible workspace, you can come and go as you please.  

Get Dressed

This may sound cheesy, but many entrepreneurs find that getting dressed each day allows them to replicate the feeling of going to work. This is perhaps part of the broader theme of establishing a routine. If you wake up, get dressed, and begin working by 8 or 9 AM each morning, you will find it much easier to focus on the work that you have to accomplish that day. 

While working in your pajamas is fun, it could prevent you from realizing that there are tasks that you need to accomplish. You probably don’t need to get dressed up in a suit every day, but something semi-professional should help you stay focused.  

The post How To Balance Work-Life As An Entrepreneur appeared first on Downtown Works.

Not Having A Place To Focus And Work 

Many digital nomads fail to secure an office space or coworking space to work in. They instead try to work from local cafes which causes frustration with spotty WiFi and increased distractions. Office space can be beneficial as it allows you to meet with clients, focus on essential tasks, and network with other like-minded individuals. 

Securing an office space does not require much investment. Look into services that offer everything from high-tech meeting rooms to collaborative community spaces. These services exist in most major cities, including San Diego. Many of these services provide day, week, or month passes, which is ideal for the working digital nomad.

Lack Of Budget Control 

Digital nomads must quickly find the balance between living in an exciting new city and maintaining a budget. Many digital nomads find themselves blowing through funds and not making as much income as they are spending. Be sure to set a budget and stick to it, and never rely on income that you have not yet earned. 

Working Too Much 

Because you are working on the go from your laptop, it’s easy to find yourself sucked into your job. Digital nomads must make sure they establish clear boundaries. They must know when it’s time to work and when it’s time to play and explore. Without drawing these lines in the sand, digital nomads will often find themselves working 10 – 12 hours a day, seven days a week. Securing an office space can help combat this. 

Lack Of Mentorship 

When working in an office space, employees have access to in-person mentorship. Employees regularly receive ongoing advice and guidance from someone they respect. Unfortunately, many nomads forget this when they break away and begin working on their own. Even if they do find someone from who they want to learn from, nomadic travels could make it difficult to receive proper exposure. 

While some nomads may claim to have a digital mentorship with an individual, it is not the same as an in-person mentorship. There is incredible value in being around someone who you want to emulate. While it’s easy to observe and listen in an office setting, it’s much more challenging to do online. 

The post Common Digital Nomad Misconceptions appeared first on Downtown Works.

Unfortunately, many remote workers and entrepreneurs don’t realize the pitfalls of choosing their home or local coffee shop as their work space. Doing so could negatively impact the growth of a new business significantly. Skeptical? Below, we’ll detail the primary reasons why entrepreneurs should reconsider the home or coffee shop work space in San Diego.

Poor Wi-Fi

If you are seeking to grow your business remotely, communication will be essential. Unfortunately, working from home or coffee shop typically results in either expensive or low-quality internet connections. For instance, if you are continually trying to conduct video calls and meetings from home, your data usage could spike tremendously. You may find yourself needing to invest in a more expensive package to accomplish basic work tasks.

If you’re working from a coffee shop, your Wi-Fi connection will likely be even less reliable. The internet connections in coffee shops are often not nearly strong enough to support a jam-packed workday. And, a coffee shop is often noisy, so it could be challenging to find the privacy necessary to conduct a meeting or take a call.

Too Many Distractions

When starting a company, you need to dedicate yourself fully to business growth. Unfortunately, this is not possible when working from home or a café. When working from home, you’ll likely find yourself wanting to accomplish chores or tasks, such as:

• Laundry
• Dishes
• Taking out the trash
• Binge-watching the latest Netflix release

Working from a cafe is distracting because of how loud it is. Between the everyday hustle and bustle of customers, the grinding of coffee beans, and other similar noises, it will be nearly impossible to focus on a task.

Isolation And Loneliness

Consider the saying, “We become the average of the five people with who we surround ourselves.” Now think about who you surround yourself with when working at home or in a coffee shop? Likely no one! Many entrepreneurs are lonely when they begin working remotely. They lose daily office interactions and mentorship that had previously sparked creativity.

Networking also becomes difficult when working in isolation. New remote workers and business owners would be wise to look into alternative San Diego work spaces that will allow them to dedicate themselves entirely to their budding careers.

The post Why Entrepreneurs Should Reconsider The Home Or Coffee Shop Work Space appeared first on Downtown Works.

The San Diego entrepreneurial community could soon receive a boost thanks to a corporation up the road in Palo Alto. Apple has recently announced that they are making efforts to better-support the female entrepreneurial community with the release of a new program.

Receive Free Coding Assistance From Apple

If you are a female entrepreneur, Apple invites you to join its Entrepreneur Camp, which the company says is a “technology lab focused on app development.” The program lasts two weeks and will begin in January 2019. A part of the program focuses on female business owners working directly with Apple engineers to learn iOS code. In addition to coding assistance, Apple will also offer sessions focused on:

• • App Design
• • New iOS Technology
• • Marketing in the Apple Store

Apple says that companies must be female-led, founded, or co-founded to participate in the program. The corporation will support all of those who identify as women. The core participant who enrolls in the program can bring up to three members from their team to the camp.

What If You Don’t Use iOS?

If your company currently uses Android technology, Apple still invites you to participate in the program. According to Esther Hare, Apple Senior Director of Worldwide Developer Marketing, Entrepreneur Camp does not require you to have an iOS app. They are more concerned about empowering women who have an app-driven business. So, this program could be an excellent opportunity for entrepreneurs who are looking to elevate their tech knowledge.

Are You A Female Entrepreneur In San Diego?

If you’re a female entrepreneur in San Diego or are looking to become one soon, consider renting office space with Downtown Works and sign up for Apple’s Entrepreneur Camp. At Downtown Works, we offer everything from high-tech meeting rooms to event space. We foster entrepreneurial spirit by creating a community of like-minded, driven, passionate individuals. Contact us today to learn more about how our services can help you grow your business!

Read about the program here: Apple Entrepreneur Camp

The post Women’s Careers Skyrocketing by Apple! appeared first on Downtown Works.

The post We’re Not Your Mother, Snack All You Want! appeared first on Downtown Works.

The post Coworking is Energizing, But Sometimes Privacy Is Essential appeared first on Downtown Works.

The post Girls in Tech Financial Literacy! 6:30-8pm appeared first on Downtown Works.