Things You'll Need:
- Desire to work productively at home
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Step 1
A Big Part of This Issue is Eliminating Distractions:
Many people who work at home are great at multi-tasking, but the downside to that is there are a lot of things that can grab your attention when you want to focus on business.
Create an environment at your desk where you have easy access to what you need but gets you away from things that can potentially distract you. If you need noise to work (I do), picking an Internet radio station (I'll link my favorite below) is a better alternative to having the TV on. -
Step 2
Keep Yourself on a Schedule as Much as Possible:
Especially in an early stage of a business where you're working at home, you have to develop the habit and discipline to stay consistent and not slack off. Often you have to work harder than people who have a structured job in the beginning, but you get more and more freedom over time.
The great thing about it however is when you do need to do something different, you have the adaptability to change your schedule. It's a balancing act, and according to what you do you may even find it better to work at night as opposed to during the day. If you have children, you can fit things around that as well. -
Step 3
Write Out Your Daily, Weekly, Monthly, and Yearly Goals:
Very few people actually do this, but the ones that do have a much higher chance of staying on target. -
Step 4
Take Breaks:
Sometimes you can have the exact opposite problem of being so into your work you don't take a break. Long-term, this is bad for your productivity as well--you get tired and less focused without even realizing it. Getting away from the desk a moment and going outside is a good thing to do, at least 15 minutes for every couple of hours you work. -
Step 5
Don't Forget About Exercise:
When I was working a corporate job, one of the things that annoyed me was that I had 10-11 hour shifts and wasn't making time to exercise and take care of myself. That's something that quickly changed when I became self-employed. Wii Fit is a lot of fun if it's in your budget, but at least walking 30 minutes a day will help you a lot. -
Step 6
Keep Your Creativity Sparked:
I like reading a lot and often get my best business ideas browsing around bookstores. It may be a different environment for you, but definitely keep a notepad with you while you're outside your home.
Comments
charlotteh said
on 10/12/2009 very helpful article and that is one of the down sides to working from home but dedication is a major key 5*S
tinksmagic said
on 1/17/2009 Great information, too often we forget when we work from home.
djvaughn2 said
on 11/11/2008 Great article thank you so much!! I hope to hear from you again by the way!! 5*
econ476 said
on 11/10/2008 Great tips and very sound advice!
ViktoryaHale said
on 11/1/2008 These are good tips, thanks! Now if I can implement them into my life when I work at home, that would be great. I have three, but they are all in school, so I have no excuse anymore :) I have a hard time staying focused but I know all too well about multi-tasking. Dinner, writing, doing laundry, etc... lol :) Thanks for this!!