How to eliminate distractions when you are working from Home
I am working from home since 2010 dealing also with family, pets, cooking, cleaning and everything in between.
I live in a small apartment that makes the entire situation more challenging. I found out that the number one killer of my productivity is one tiny word with a huge impact. It’s Distractions.
It took me years to work my way around customers, my house obligations, and the un- expected situations that will show up usually the worst possible moment.
My ultimate goal was to get back the control of my time and my sanity on that matter. That was the reason I became so passionate about planning ahead and working upon eliminating as much as possible those things that will come up which was probabilities in my own life.
Planning ahead gave me control and alternatives for those moments that distractions will hit me hard. Below I have listed a list of tips that may help you stop feeling out of control and drained out with very little to show for.
Here we go!
- Create a space to work where you can close the door
- Avoid laying on Bed or use the bedroom as working space where it is possible
- Don’t use your brain as a Storage System
- Create a command center either is your Google Calendar, Trello or my All-in-One Undated Planner
- Clear your working space first
- Create a daily focus
- Block certain time for each project
- Work with cycles either 30 – 45 or 90 minutes
- Take regular breaks when you finish each working cycle
- Mute all of your notifications
Fair warning! Those tips will not help you at all if you haven’t set the ground first. For example, if you have a toddler don’t try to do your computer work BEFORE you fed your baby. Another example is that if you have kids that go to school make sure that their lunch is ready so when they come at home you don’t panic what to feed your hungry mob.
Work at your most favorable times even if that means you get up an hour earlier or stay an hour later for that matter.
Plan…Plan…Plan! I can’t stretch that enough! Plan everything ahead and commit to your routines with religious devotion!
Another fair warning is that no matter of how many tips you can gather online, your life situations are unique. So don’t get discouraged when you fail. Adjust and try again until you create your own formula.
This is what I have done for my life and I can tell you that many of the projects I was postponing for years (like creating my Etsy Store) because of lack of time now are up and running. Am I perfect? Of course not!
This blog post meant to be in my website 3 weeks ago…but life happens and I am adjusting and move forward.
I hope this article will give you some hope and clarity to shape your own no distraction zones in your life.
PS I am offering an audio book “How to eliminate Distractions” you can get from my website and get more clarity on this critical topic.