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To start with your children need to know what you are doing when you are in front of the computer or on the phone and they also need to know why you are doing this instead of paying attention to them. Tell them you are working to make money to pay the bills and buy things that they want like candy or treats.

Secondly you need to learn how to compartmentalize your life - I know easier said than done. Close your business down for a few hours a day and make this your children's time. Special times when they come in from school (or in the afternoon if they are not yet that old). Some time to get them relaxed and ready for bed. Make sure that the children know about these times and that you keep to them. I got quite adept at working for a few hours after my daughter went to bed. Or in the morning before they get up if you are more of a lark.

Lastly, impress upon your children that when you are on the phone or talking to people at your house/office that they have to be quiet. Not only is this good business but it is good manners from them.

Within your home make sure that your children have some stimulating toys and activities to keep them interested and busy whilst you are busy. Start them on a hobby - probably best not to be a musical one if you have a lot of phone calls. I undertook a lot of my studying and work, with my daughter working alongside me, writing, drawing and reading - in what she called "her work" ?.

If your children are a little older, make sure you have an office with a door that can cut out the noise. If your children are younger or you don't have the luxury of space, designate a work area and ensure that your children know that your reports are not for writing on. If they are old enough give them their own workspace close by.

In summary for your youngsters - make sure they feel wanted by you, understand why you are doing what you are doing, have access to stimulating activities and are well mannered. Make time for them every day, whatever you are doing.

On the client side, this is a little easier, as I am assuming that they rarely come to your home. (If they do then put part of your house aside for client conversations and do not let the children in there.)

Make sure that you have good voicemail facilities. If you are spending time with your children, switch them on. Get back to your clients as soon as you are free again. If you respond quickly to your messages, your clients will merely think that you are busy - not a bad thing.

If you visit your clients then you are going to need child minding facilities so try and undertake all your visits on the same day. Exhausting but cheaper.

Marketing and report writing, designing etc can all be done during your "non children" ? time in your office.

I gained my degree and set up my business as a single mother of my young daughter. It is hard work - it's tiring but so rewarding, so good luck.

Lee Lister

Lee Lister is Management Consultant and Program Manager with more than 25 year's management and consultancy experience and more than 20 year's program and project management experience in projects for Banking, Finance, Insurance, Leisure and Government bodies. She also have more than 10 years bid management experience ranging from bids for medium companies to large international and infrastructure bids.

British born, Lee received her BA(Hons) Financial Economics from the University of Essex. She went on to work in or for a considerable number of countries within Asia and Europe as well as Australia and the United States. While building a name for herself through helping company restructure, change management and project management consultancy, Lee became a well-known figure for her skills in analyzing, problem solving and trouble-shooting. She has consulted for many major industries, including banking, telecommunications, insurance, transportation, leisure and governments from many different countries. Some of the companies who have benefited from Lee?s expertise are Hewlett Packard, Siemans Nixdorf, Electrolux and the Philippines government.

Whilst working in the Far East she became a recognized expert on preparing and evaluating large World Bank Proposals (infrastructure projects within developing countries). These accomplishments called upon the skills of bid and project management, risk assessment, contract negotiation and supplier management and required dedicated work to very tight time scales. This expertise was acknowledged by an invitation to be the principle speaker at an International Business Development Conference in Washington, USA. She has also consulted at very senior level in several countries.

She owns and manages two companies, Biz Guru LLC in the USA and Biz Guru Services Ltd in the UK as well a considerable number of profitable web sites. She works almost entirely via the internet, visiting clients on site during major consultancies and training. Her Internet skills span from when major companies first started to consider obtaining their own web sites. During these years, she has kept up to date with the rapid changes on the internet, including the dot com boom and the resulting bust ? which her own web based companies survived.

She regularly consults, writes and lectures on business, bid management and marketing and has published numerous courses and books.