1. Treat your home based business like a real business. You are a business owner, a professional. Treat your business just like any other business. Get a separate bank account for your business. You need a separate telephone line and/or email dedicated for just your home based business.

2. Don't mix your personal life with your business. Create a separate space in your house. Your home based business needs a room of its own for your home office.

3. Set specific work hours. You are your own boss. You need to be a strict boss and not let your employee slack off and not get the work done. Make a work schedule for working your business and stick to it. Don't start working and then stop to take breaks to do things around the house. A good help is to get an egg timer and set it for an hour. Work diligently for that hour and then take a 5 minute stretch break. Then do it again. You will be amazed at what you can get done.

4. Approach your home based business with self-discipline. When you have a regular job, you go to work some days when you don't feel like it or don't want to. A home based business is no different. Get up early and start working, even if you'd rather watch the TV or read the paper.

5. You must be organized. Make a list of the things that you need to do every day. Prioritize them in the order of importance. Then do them. Cross them off as you do them. Again, you will be amazed how good you feel and how much you get done.

6. Let people know you are in business. You must advertise to do this. The internet is one of the most cost effective ways to advertise. You can advertise through banner ads, forums, blogs, pay per click. Educate yourself on these methods. Much is available online. Print media and traditional advertising are also an option.

7. Maintain your integrity. In order for you to stay in business and make money, people must trust you. If you maintain your integrity you will win the trust of your customers. Always under promise and over deliver. When the customer is pleased with what he sees in you and gets from you, he will automatically advertise for you by spreading the word about you, your products or services.

Starting and maintaining a home based business takes work to be successful. Once created and up and running, it is all worth it. These 7 steps can be the beginning of a wonderful journey of self- discovery and the great feeling of accomplishing something you are proud of, a successful home based business.