Hundreds of men and women are leaving the traditional workforce to join the growing number of people working from home. If you're reading this article, you too have at least thought about exploring this option as well.

Working from home gives you the opportunity to have the best of both worlds. You are able to have a rewarding career plus spend more quality time with those most important in life, your family.

I have found that those most successful in the home business industry have three distinct characteristics that definitely lead to a winning situation.

First, you must be a self-starter. A self-starter is defined as one who displays an unusual amount of initiative. It's not always easy to establish a work schedule and follow it through especially if the dog needs to be taken out, the laundry basket is running over or it's getting close to 5pm and you have no idea what you're going to prepare for dinner. So, make sure you plan for the unexpected. You must dig deep and concentrate on the goals you have set for the project you're working on.

Treat the chores just as you would if you were working outside the home. Of course, if you choose to address these issues while taking a break from your work schedule, that's okay. But never let house work interfere with your business.

The second characteristic is being task oriented. Knowing exactly what your plan is for each given day is key. However, following that plan is paramount. This is why having a planner is so important. If you're truly task oriented, you'll plan your entire week and that's okay. I usually plan on a daily basis. My plan for each day will include phone calls, computer time, networking, and other assignments I've scheduled for myself. I even schedule my breaks. Yes, breaks.

Often we feel that since we're working at home breaks aren't as important or as needed as they would be in an outside the home work environment. That's absolutely untrue. If you want to experience true burn out before you're able to start working toward your first goal, try working without some down time. It's a fast track down a one way street to failure.

Breaks were designed for a reason. Stepping away from any task gives the mind and body time to refresh itself. After a break, your thinking is clearer, your body is energized. This is when you can achieve some of your most productive work.

The third characteristic is the rarest of them all - the entrepreneurial spirit. This spirit allows you to take risks, dream like a visionary, push the limits others wouldn't think of, and being an innovator. Being able to see the vision before it's hardly an idea in your head - that's having the entrepreneurial spirit.

Working at home successfully can be done. People all over the world are testimonials of that fact. The dream you've had of becoming a home business owner can soon be your reality. With a good plan, patience, positive thinking and the desire to succeed, your business will be a winner from the start.