Working from home. It can be a blessing and a curse. A privilege and a dreadful task. How can that be? You might ask.
Oh, let me indulge you.
Working from home is a two edged sword. On one hand, you can get so much done because you don’t have co-workers or bosses stopping by your desk every moment asking you questions or just making mindless chit-chat in order to avoid working. On the other hand, it can be a curse if you are like me and can get distracted very easily by ALL THE THINGS if they aren’t put in their proper place.
So, here are a few steps that you can follow in order to get WORK done when working from home. Not the dishes, not laundry, not your nails…work.
1. Designate a place in your home to work.
There needs to be a place that you call your desk, or your chair, or whatever that is your designated place to work. A place that when you sit, your mind knows to do nothing else but work. You must train your mind by creating a consistent place where you do work, so that your mind knows when you sit your butt down with a cup of coffee and a delicious freshly baked scone, it’s game time. Get to work!
A few things may need to happen first, in order for you to have that designated work space. You may need to clear a corner of your dining room table and make that your work area. You may need to stake your claim on a section of your couch (move over pooch) with a coffee or side table and an outlet within arms reach. Or, you may need to tackle that messy corner of your bedroom and convert that into an office space, loaded with a desk and a lamp and a coaster for your tea.
2. Clear the Clutter
Clutter is a distraction. You must clear the distractions. I don’t care what you say about being able to work in a mess or being messy is just how you are. Fine. That’s all well and good. And I’m sure you are absolutely capable of working in a mess, but I’m also capable of poking myself in the eye with a twizzler…yet I do not. Why? what’s the point of working in a mess? Sure you CAN…but I guarantee you will work BETTER if the place that you work is clean and clutter free. Just do it.
3. Take Inventory of what you need.
And make sure it’s nearby. The last thing you need to be doing when you’ve sat down and you’re in the groove is to have to keep getting up for a pen, or some water, or a little green plant because you feel the air you’re breathing isn’t quite purified. Believe me, I’m an advocate of the idea that you can never have too many green house plants. But make sure you have all of this set up ahead of time, that way when you sit in the morning you’re ready to go!
Make sure you have you computer set up so that you can work comfortably, get your favorite artist playing, light a nice candle for a soothing aroma, and dive right into your happy place.
4. Get a list together
Now, I understand that you all may not be list people. But if you have your to-do’s laid out right in front of you, so you can see what needs to be done next, I guarantee you’ll be so much more focused and less distracted by the fact that an enticing new Periscope session has started with your favorite workout guru. (You can tell I struggle with this often, Chalene Johnson is just awesome!) So get a pen to some paper and make a list, or create reminders on your calendar that will ding every time you need to shift gears and get something else done.
There you have it. 4 easy steps to help you get the most work done while working from home.
What do you ensure that you do in order to stay focused while working from home? Let me know!
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