Tips to stay focused while working at home
Working from home is rife with distractions. Common productivity killers include the television, phone calls, the laundry, the Internet and even your refrigerator. Every second you spend indulging in these distractions takes money out of your pocket, but these tips show you how to stay focused while working from home.
Create an Office Space
Transform a spare bedroom or corner of another living space into an office. Outfit your workspace [3] with everything you need to get the job done, like a desk, computer and other supplies. Use it only for work, keep it organized [4] and treat it as a traditional office. That means no watching television or snacking at the desk. If you would not do it in a traditional office, do not do it at home either.
Make a Schedule
Working at home gives you plenty of freedom to make your own schedule, but that does not mean you should abandon planning all together. Train your mind to clock in and out at set times, write out a to-do list and plan to work most when you are at your mental peak.
Get Dressed
Before you head into your home office, shower, put on work-appropriate attire and have breakfast, just like you would before going into a traditional office. Preparing in this manner will put you in a professional mindset so you can stay focused all day long.
Leave the House
If working at home is too full of distractions or isolating, take a break. Make a coffee house your office for the day, work on a park on a sunny afternoon or enjoy the quiet solitude of the library.
Set Boundaries
Create boundaries for when you are working at home. Hire a babysitter to watch the kids, tell the neighbors you are unavailable at certain hours and turn your phone off. Ignore the doorbell and instruct others not to interrupt you while you are in your office space.
How do you stay focused when working from home? What distractions do you find the most tempting? Share your experiences and advice in the comments section below!