In the early days of my new business I would spend precious time each day going\u00a0round my house and gathering up the various things I needed to start work. Then,\u00a0at the end of the day, I had to pack everything up again to clear the dining room\u00a0table. It took a while to cotton on but clearing out a room at home to use as a\u00a0dedicated office increased my daily productivity no end. Even if you don\u2019t have a\u00a0whole room you can use as an office, setting aside a corner of a room permanently\u00a0for work can be really beneficial.<\/p>\n This is important. When I had a job, commuting to work set a structure to my\u00a0work life. Once I started working for myself I quickly figured out that if I let\u00a0myself start work whenever it suited me on any given day, I\u2019d lose too many\u00a0productive hours. I soon created a strict routine that involves being in my office at\u00a08.30 am. I have tried to do the same each working day since. That doesn\u2019t mean\u00a0that I can\u2019t do other non-work-related things during the day, but it does mean\u00a0that I keep on top of tasks and don\u2019t feel guilty about those breaks.<\/p>\n Not having people around was one of the things I missed most about leaving my\u00a0job. I now make up for this with regular (at least weekly) catch-ups with\u00a0colleagues and former workmates. These meetings are part social and part business (I\u2019m never sure of the precise ratio!).<\/p>\n In those early days it was so easy to get consumed with the minutiae of running\u00a0my business, doing client work \u2026 and forget all about building my business. So\u00a0I\u2019ve now written the number \u20181\u2019 on top of my office whiteboard. This is a reminder\u00a0to reach out and contact at least one person each day. It might be a phone call. It\u00a0might simply be an email forwarding interesting information. It\u2019s good for\u00a0business, good for networking and good for the soul.<\/p>\n “I have always been more productive when I work with others. Including others in project pitches increases the chances of success. I quickly found this reciprocated.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n It\u2019s easy to get forgotten. If you aren\u2019t front of mind, you are likely to miss out on\u00a0opportunities. Being remembered and keeping up with advances in my field are\u00a0important. I regularly attend workshops and conferences. I know they can be\u00a0expensive, but given I picked up two major jobs at a national conference I\u00a0attended a couple of months into my new professional life, I know they\u2019re also\u00a0worth it.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve always been more productive when I work with others. It\u2019s more fun as well.\u00a0Once I started including others in project pitches I found this increased my\u00a0chances of success markedly \u2026 and was also quickly reciprocated.<\/p>\n![\"businessman1\"](\"https:\/\/cruzandco.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/businessman1.jpg\")
<\/a>The transition from the corporate world to being a business owner is always an interesting one to make. Here are the things I\u2019d do right from the word \u2018go\u2019 if I had my time again.<\/strong><\/p>\n1. Establish a dedicated work space<\/h5>\n
2. Develop a routine<\/h5>\n
3. Maintain networks\/socialise<\/h5>\n
4. A contact per day<\/h5>\n
5. Attend events<\/h5>\n
6. Collaborate<\/h5>\n
7. Join and participate in professional groups<\/h5>\n