As you prepare to launch your business, it is important to communicate with your family members and get them prepared. As you embark on this new venture there are a few key points you should emphasize:

• There may be no such thing as a regular 9-5 workday. Especially during the startup phase of your business, you may discover the work-life balance scale tipping much more heavily to the “work” side.
• You need a Do Not Disturb Zone. Get confirmation from your family members that they understand when you’re in your home office or on business calls, they won’t disturb you for non-emergency reasons. Also, set the expectation with friends and relatives that working from home doesn’t mean you can comply with spontaneous requests to meet up for coffee or happy hour.
• You may have to pinch pennies. Until you’ve established a network of business connections and clients, you and your family should expect your income to fluctuate from month to month.
• You may need them to pitch in around the house more. With your startup responsibilities added to your plate and less free time available every day, you may find it necessary to ask your loved ones to pick up some of the slack on the home front.

Navigating the challenges of starting a new business may require some trial and error as you learn your capabilities and limitations. The key is to making it work is communicating with your family members
and setting expectations, so they’re not caught off-guard.