By Noelle Federico

In an age of corporate downsizing and layoffs, working at home or starting our own home businesses has become an attractive alternative for those of us who are driven to succeed. Home business activity is growing and, according to the US Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy, fifty-two percent of ALL small businesses are home-based. Newsweek magazine reports that it is anticipated that 50% of the households in the United States will be involved in home business by the year 2005.

Many home based business opportunities involve sales of some type therefore being able to stay motivated and focused while working at home is a must. To avoid excessive interruptions it is imperative that you make a distinction between office and house.

To create that distinction and make your home based venture a success, find a dedicated office space that can be closed off from the rest of the house. Your office space should be inspiring, inviting and a place that you want to spend time in. Make sure that your home office has all the amenities you require to work successfully—a computer, a separate phone line, a fax machine and a comfortable workspace

In addition to creating an inviting office space, here are some other tips for success in your business venture.

Love What You Do, Love your Business

Make sure that whatever you choose for your home business opportunity, it is something that you love. If it is a service, it should be something that you believe in and find useful. If it is a product, it should be something that you use and think nobody should be without. If you have genuine enthusiasm for what you are doing other people will naturally want to be involved with you.

Stay Focused

When you are your own boss it is imperative that you stay on track and remain focused on your goals. Stay disciplined and maintain a schedule with yourself. Plan out your day as to how many calls you will make, how many emails you’ll send, how many meetings you will have or schedule. Write your weekly, monthly and yearly goals down and keep them in constant view. When you are feeling rejected or discouraged refer to your goals and remember that for every ‘NO’ there is a ‘YES’.

Manage Your Time

Working from home can sometimes mean that we work too much or not enough. It is very easy to become distracted when working in a home office. Manage your time so that you have a schedule in place for ‘work’ time and ‘leisure’ time. When you are ‘off’ avoid the temptation of running to answer the office phone or check your email and when you are working, stay in your office and work. The more disciplined you are, the more successful you will be.

Remember Attitude is Everything

Success in any venture has much more to do with attitude then aptitude. A positive outlook and a positive attitude have the capacity to change circumstances of any kind. Focus on the good and give very little energy to complaining. Talk about what you want more of and be grateful for every small success you achieve. List your goals daily and spend some time affirming that what you want will manifest. When an obstacle arises don’t dwell on it, simply find a way around it and move forward. Positive, grateful people naturally attract prosperous outcomes.

Be Motivated to Succeed

Remember why you wanted to work at home and use these reasons to keep yourself motivated. If you are working at home to spend more time with your children then realize that the quicker you meet your financial goals the more time you will have for your family. Financial requirements are an excellent motivator; have a clear picture of how much income needs to be generated in order to meet expenses. Create a plan of action that breaks down exactly how that income will be manifested and get to work.

Acknowledge Your Businesses Successes

Praise your accomplishments, even the smallest ones. Give yourself credit for the goals that you achieve. Be proud of the fact that you are making working at home a success. Review your goals on a regular basis, acknowledge what you have achieved and update your plans for the future.

It can be both challenging and liberating to work at home. It presents a chance for you to create your future the way you have always imagined. One of the most important factors in being a success is that you commit to something that you believe in. If you truly believe in an opportunity then you will naturally be able to enroll other people. Your enthusiasm will be contagious and will help to ensure your success. You can succeed in a home based business by working hard and believing in yourself and your abilities. So find an opportunity that you love and get started!

Noelle Federico is the Executive Vice President of Nature's Youth Direct, www.amazingbusinessopportunity.com