While working from home can make us more productive, that only happens if we manage to avoid the many distractions that the home environment has to offer.
Various studies, surveys and reports have proven that working from home can make us more productive. But it’s not just a simple matter of taking your work to your home office and all of a sudden you’re a better worker.
In fact, you’ve got a few hurdles to overcome before you can start increasing your productivity – the main one is the many distractions at home.
A Printerland survey discovered the top distractions for people working from home. We look at how to avoid them and focus on the job at hand…
Making food
Two thirds of people put this as one of the main distractions. And it’s no wonder why – compared to offices you’ve got an array of food and drink choices at home that you can access any time. Plus, when we’re looking to avoid work, food is always a pleasant distraction.
Avoid it by…
Having set meal times. Put in time for breakfast and lunch plus a few snacks or coffee breaks – and stick to them. Another good tactic is to make any food the night before so you can just grab it when hungry. And keep some biscuits or snacks on your desk to stop you from leaving your work space.
Browsing the net
You start researching a new potential client when all of a sudden you find you’re on Amazon or checking the local weather forecast. The internet is a great tool but is also a huge distraction.
Avoid it by…
Turning it off. If you don’t need to be online, turn it off. In fact, unplug the WiFi box and only plug it back in when you absolutely need it. If you do need to research something online, give yourself a set target and time limit in which to do it.
Checking social media
Social media and the internet go hand in hand. And while social media sites can be part of your working day, checking friends’ updates might not be.
Avoid it by…
Only checking them during your down time such as lunch or after work. If you’re still struggling to cut down your social media time, use a site like minutesplease.com, which can block you from certain sites for a set time.
Watching TV
Day time TV is – on the whole – pretty awful. But, that doesn’t stop us from watching endless antique or property shows when we should be doing work.
Avoid it by…
Removing it from your home office. You don’t need it in there. And once in your home office, close your door so that you can’t here if any family members are watching.
Walking the dog
More than 1 in 10 people put this as one of their main distractions. And it’s understandable – many people choose to work from home so they can look after their dog – or they get a dog because they are working from home. And dogs need walking.
Avoid it by…
Once during the working day is fine – do it during lunch to reduce the time spent away from the office. If it needs more walks, get a dog walking service. Or you could walk when it’s needed and catch up with work later in the day.
Posted by The Secret Businessman