The Biggest Distractions of Working from Home and How to Avoid Them
by Angie Hewerdine
Do you ever have days when the little things in life seem to be fighting
to keep you from getting any work done? Relatives, children, neighbors,
errands to run and even our own mental chatter can all hinder our work
day performance. Here are some suggestions to help you alleviate some of
the most common distractions people face when working from home.
For many people, running a home-based business means the freedom to
spend precious time with children and family. If you have young children
underfoot throughout the day, it is easy to be drawn away from work.
Staying busy during nap times and after the children have gone to bed
can be helpful. During the afternoons, you can hire a teen aged 'mothers
helper' to come in for a few hours, or go all out and hire a Nanny. Even
10 hours a week of quiet, uninterrupted time will help you drive your
home business forward.
The internet plays a big part in many home business enterprises, but
it's easy to get sucked into reading and surfing when you need to be
focusing on business. Replying, deleting, and managing emails can become
a drain on your time if done too frequently. Try checking your emails no
more than 3 times a day, and deleting unwanted emails only once a day,
in the evening. You will be surprised how much time this will free up
for you to do more important tasks.
If you are looking for specific information on the internet, find what
you need quickly and then get out. Sign yourself off of messenger
services, and by all means stay away from chat rooms, forums and blogs
until you have completed your work for the day.
Use a voice mail service to take your phone calls if you don't wish to
talk on the phone. Make sure to turn the ringer off so you won't be
distracted. Set aside a specific block of time each day to call contacts
and follow up. Stick to your plan.
Running errands can be done at specific times during the week, such as
on Wednesday between 1 and 3. Going out for just one errand 2 to 4 times
a week is a waste of energy, time and gas. Get it all done in one
afternoon and don't worry about it for the rest of the week.
Housework is not everyone's favorite activity. If you avoid it, you'll
get overwhelmed. If you are spending too much time on it, you have
little time for your business and family. It helps if you delegate some
of the responsibility to other family members. Break up the chores by
doing 15 minutes worth of cleaning several times a day. This has the
added benefit of getting you up out of your desk chair and moving. If
finances allow, you can hire a cleaning service to assist you with the
chores that you really dislike doing.
Putting these suggestions into practice will keep the distractions to a
minimum and ensure your home business will run more smoothly.
Angie Hewerdine is a successful home business owner in the fields of
Wealth Creation and Personal Development. She exhibits a driving passion
for assisting people in realizing and attaining their personal and
financial objectives. To learn more call 1-800-491-4758 or visit
www.TheTimeForChange.com