How to Manage Your Startup From Home

In response to coronavirus, you may suddenly find yourself managing your startup from home. Whether or not you've worked remotely before, the COVID-19 outbreak is making you. The good news is remote management isn't impossible, but it does take a few adjustments.Managing a startup from home can be an intimidating prospect. But with proper planning and careful execution, you should be able to do it without much trouble. Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you remotely manage your new business.Use Technology to Keep You ProductiveManaging you and your employees' productivity can be a bit of a challenge from home. But technology makes this task more feasible. You can use services like IFTTT, which stands for "if this, then that," as a digital secretary to help you stay on top of things.You can also use software to track and improve team productivity. With training tools like RescueTime or collaborative apps like Basecamp, you can streamline a lot of the remote work process. These enable smoother collaboration and offer more efficient alternatives to your current work habits.There's no shortage of options when it comes to productivity software. With so many reasonably priced options, you'd be mistaken not to use something. Look through your choices to find one that fits your business model best.Create and Follow a ScheduleDon't let your new work environment make you too relaxed. Working from home offers added comfort, but you can't let that get in the way of work. If you want to manage a business from home successfully, you need to create and stick to a schedule.Make a checklist of things you need to do on a weekly, daily and even hourly level. As the head of your company, you have the most responsibility, so you need to make sure everything gets done. You can do this if you establish and follow a daily routine.You shouldn't forget to schedule when you stop working. Have a set time you start and end your workday and when. Don't get lazy, but don't overwork yourself either. Neither option is productive.Communicate Frequently and HonestlyWhen you're not in an office, you can't walk down to someone's cubicle to ask them a question. You can't be present to oversee everything when you work from home, so constant communication is a must. This not only helps you but helps your employees.After you give someone a task, follow up with them as they work on it. It's also a good idea to encourage frequent communication from your employees. You should know how everything is going as soon as you can, which requires regular updates.Open and consistent communication is also essential to dealing with clients. If you're talking to an investor or customer, don't hide the fact that you work from home. People appreciate it when you're open about your operations, so don't just talk often, but talk honestly.Separate Work and Home LifeMaintaining a healthy work-life balance may be more of a challenge when you work from home. But it's still just as essential. Ensure you don't let your work life seep into your home life, even if your work is at home.If you have kids, make sure you schedule times to be with them while you're not working. If you have trouble balancing helping them and your work, you can turn to tools like online tutoring or learning apps for help.You should create a separate space in your home for work. Reserve a designated room for work and spend time with your family in the rest of the house. Setting aside a physical home office will help you keep your work and home life separate.Be FlexibleIf you're going to manage a startup from home, you need to be flexible. You should have a clear-cut plan for how you're going to proceed, but understand that you may need to adjust. To make these adjustments as smooth as possible, start slow and figure it out along the way.Jeff Rose of Alliance Wealth Management stresses the importance of testing the waters when working from home. In the early days of remote management, you'll need some time to find your footing. Be flexible with yourself and your employees as everyone learns how to make this model work.You don't have to stress about managing your startup remotely. With the right mindset and habits, there's no reason it can't be just as efficient as working from an office.