In a recent series of articles, I touched on ten strategies that are critical to your success in network marketing. In this article, I take a closer look at one of these: the need to create space for your business in all areas of your life.

Physical Space

This is probably the most obvious of all areas in which you need to create space for your business. If possible, you should create a dedicated space where you conduct your business. Once established, you will want to conduct nearly all of your business from that space. Exceptions should be limited and might include attending local meetings; having face-to-face meetings with prospects at a local coffee shop; and, if you are lucky enough to have a backyard or neighborhood pool, or even just a sunny backyard, spending some time outside enjoying the sun.

There are several advantages to having this dedicated space. First, it gives you a place to work where all of your tools are readily available and where you don’t have to spend additional time setting up the area every day. Perhaps even more significantly, when you are working in your dedicated space, it sends an unconscious message to everyone around, including you, that you are working and should not be interrupted except for the most urgent of matters.

Of course, if a dedicated space is not available, work with what you have. Try to use the same space every day. Your consistency will pay off.

Space in Your Schedule

Face it, you were using all 24 hours every day before you started your home business. If you are to have success in network marketing, you must find time for your business. Work with your support team to translate your goals to the number of hours you will need to devote to your business and then schedule that time with yourself. You can be successful with a part-time business but you probably will not be successful with a spare time business. As with your physical space, commit to the space you create in your schedule. Just because you are working at home does not mean you are not working. Do not let interruptions distract your focus.

Family and Friends

You also need to create space for your business with your family and friends. They are probably used to you being available whenever you are not at your regular job. They need to respect your commitment to your business and understand your new schedule. In many ways, your family and friends, and especially your spouse, are the first people you need to recruit. You don’t necessarily need to recruit them into your business, but you do need to recruit them to support your commitment to your business.

Current Job or Career

Obviously, you have already made space in your life for your current job or career. The secret here is to make sure that your job and your new business do not interfere with each other. You will want to continue to be the best employee you can be for your employer. In fact, you might want to be even more efficient that before so that you don’t end up taking work home to make up for being inefficient during the day. The bottom line is that when it is time to be at work, be at work; and, when it is time to work on your business, work on your business.