Business interruptions can occur after an anticipated or unanticipated event that delays or disrupts a business’s normal operations. Natural disasters, fires, cyberattacks, or the loss of a critical supplier can halt operations for an extended period of time, leading to a cash-flow imbalance that could force a business to close for good.
In this article, we’ll discuss some ways to minimize business interruptions. Let’s get started!
Do you need to change your insurance when setting up a home-based business? You absolutely do, but the process doesn’t have to be intimidating. When you set up a home-based business, your risk factors are changing. You will need additional coverage. But Atlanta’s home-based businesses are thriving today and many people are interested in getting started. Here’s what you need to know.
If you work from home or have a home-based business, you’re going to need a sweet space to work from. You’ve got a lot to do, but working from home is great – you’ve got your pets, comfort, and the best commute ever. However, it can also be very distracting, which is why it’s important that your space allows you to be productive and allow you to be the best “you” you can be. Check out the following tips for organizing your home office to boost your productivity.
In order to get everything done that needs to get done, you’re going to need your own space. Your home office should be somewhere that you can settle down and work. Find a place where you can work well that will be free from distractions. You may need to find your own room and stake a claim, declaring it to be your space where you can focus.
Keep all of the electrical cords from your computer, phone, and other gadgets out of the way and store them safely. (And think about the things you might need to plug in and unplug regularly so you can be sure to keep those things in easy reach.) Having everything neat and tidy beats having a huge clump of electrical cords taking up room on the floor, and it can also help you prevent an electrical fire.
Being at home might make it tricky to get into the “work” mindset. Make sure to equip your home office with an agenda, planner, or notepad to keep track of what needs to get done and when. You can create a to-do list for each day so that you keep track of your goals.
And crossing things off on a list is extremely satisfying and fun.
While it’s extremely tempting just to schlep down to the home office in your pajamas, getting dressed in “real people” clothes can help you get in the right frame of mind to work. Yes, pajamas are amazingly comfortable, but they also make you feel sleepy.
Try too start your mornings consistently and develop a routine. Take a shower to freshen up, get dressed, eat breakfast, dance around the kitchen to your favorite music, then settle down to work – or whatever works for you. This helps your mind get ready to kick into work-mode.
It makes sense to make your home office a comfortable space – you’ll be spending a lot of time there, after all! Okay, moving a bed and pillows into the office might be going too far, but make sure you’ve got a nice, comfortable chair and place to work. Your computer station should be set up so that you can sit comfortably and work without straining your body.
You might worry that having the desk by the window would be distracting, but give it a try. The natural sunlight streaming into the room will help your body keep track of what time it is. Your internal clock is a real thing, and if you’re easily able to see and feel the sun as it moves through the sky you’ll be able to feel the day progressing. You can even decorate the area outside the window with plants and such to give a peaceful, distraction-free view that will give you something pretty to look at.
Before you start decorating and rearranging your home office, you also need to consider exactly what kind of work you’ll be doing and what’s needed to get the job done. From there, you can make decisions about what sort of storage you’ll need, what equipment you need, and how best to organize everything.
Many home offices aren’t the biggest, and you can work with that with some creative planning. Utilize the vertical space in the room with tall bookcases or cubbies for storage. Once you’ve established exactly what needs to go into the office, you can plan accordingly. Try to keep things off your desk by using shelves, or invest in vertical file folders to sit on your desk. This will help you keep your workspace clear and clean.
Of course, that doesn’t mean that you need to sacrifice the aesthetic appeal of the room. Your space should be your space. It should be comfortable and welcoming – a place that you’re content to settle down and get to work.
Why not go the whole hog and paint the room? Choose a color that works for you. Some people like yellows, lime greens, or oranges because they’re energizing and cheery. Others like calming shades like pale blue or aqua. Bottom line: choose a color that’s going to help you work. As crazy as it sounds, colors can have a profound effect on your mood.
You’re also going to need some time to take breaks and clear your mind. It’s healthy to have a change of scene during the workday – your brain uses a lot of energy, so it needs a rest from time to time. Getting up to stretch and take a mental break is good for you. When you settle back down to work, you’ll be recharged and reenergized.
Staring at a computer screen is not your eyes’ favorite thing to do. The light emitted from a screen is hard on them, and as a consequence, it’s easy for your eyes to get strained if you’re spending a lot of time on the computer. So, be mindful of your eyes and take care of them! Also, try to avoid having a glare on the computer screen. That isn’t helpful and it won’t make your eyeballs happy.
You’ve probably got a lot of business-related equipment in your office. It’s really important to make sure that you’re properly insured. Business equipment and such is very expensive, so you need to check out your home insurance policy to see if it covers any business-related items. If you have a full-blown home business, you need to make sure that you’ve got the right home-based business insurance.
Speaking of insurance, we can help you get the insurance you need, whether that’s home-based business insurance, home insurance, or auto insurance. Our team of insurance professionals are pros at helping Atlantans save on their insurance by shopping their rates. You can compare pricing and coverage options by filling out our online quote form or giving us a call today.
You’ve decided to start that business that you’ve dreamed about for years. It’s a small business based out of your home. You’re doing what you love and you’re ecstatic to get started. Everything’s all set and ready to go…except the insurance. How are you going to insure your home-based business? The truth of the matter is that your home insurance probably won’t be enough to cover your business and protect you from all of your risks.
But not to worry – you have options for insuring your home-based business. We’ll go over three of the common options for insuring your business (a homeowners endorsement, an in-home business policy, and a business owners policy – aka BOP) so that you can start thinking about what the best solution is for you.
A homeowners endorsement basically builds on the coverage that’s included in your homeowners policy. Most homeowners policies do cover a limited amount of business equipment, but your limits might not be enough to cover all of your business property. And homeowners insurance might not cover liability for employees or clients who are visiting your home.
A homeowners endorsement adds to your coverage, yes, but it might not be ideal for a business that includes employees or clients who visit the premises. It also might not be best for a business that has much valuable equipment or inventory. It might not give you all the coverage you need.
An in-home business policy is more extensive than a homeowners endorsement. It gives you higher limits of coverage for your business equipment and for your liability.
A Business Owners Policy, more commonly known by its catchy nickname, BOP, gathers property insurance, liability insurance, and even business income insurance into one convenient policy. This is the most comprehensive of the three options presented here. It’s meant for small to mid-size business. Keep in mind that it won’t cover workers’ comp, health, or disability insurance, so those would have to be added separately if you need them.
Your business is unique, so you’ll have to consider the value of all of your business’s property and your specific risks to decide what kind of insurance is appropriate. We have some questions to help you do that.
The answers to these questions can help you identify which risks that you need to protect yourself against. Some of the common coverages that home-based business owners get for their business include personal business property, professional liability, business income, personal and advertising injury, loss of business data, crime and theft, workers’ comp, and auto coverage. But of course, you might not need all of these coverages. Or there might be other coverages that are more suited to your business.
Every business is different, and you have a vision that you want to fulfill, and we want to make sure you’re protected from your risks while you do it. We can help you determine which coverages are right for your business. All you have to do is fill out our quote form or give us a call and we’d be happy to get you a free quote. We can help you design an insurance plan that’s designed specifically for your home-based business and that takes care of all your risks.