Staying focused when working from home can be trying for even the most productive, motivated, and on-task individuals. I like to consider myself a real task-master when it comes to my work and work ethic, but sometimes I still find myself straying from the work that I could or should be doing.
Whether it’s my four-year-old son tugging at my arm, my wife urging me to go out and have fun with her or yard work beckoning me to take it on, I can find all sorts of things to do other than work. But deep down, I know I should be working, and here are some of the ways I keep myself on task, even when there are other things I’d rather be doing.
Having a Plan
Setting myself up for the following day the night before is often a huge help in getting a fresh start and being to jump right into my work before too many distractions arise. Being able to outline a schedule and projects as I’m closing out the day, and lay out my productivity standards the night before gives me a plan to start off on the following morning. Rather than having to get up and struggle with where I left off and what I should work on for the day, things are already nicely laid out for me and ready to go, making it easy to get rolling again.
Moving — if and When Needed
Sometimes, no matter how organized you are or how well you ignore distractions, outside interference can just get a little overwhelming. While you don’t have to be rude about it or get up and storm off, sometimes changing work locations to get away from the conversations or activities of others can make it much easier to focus on work.
I find that when outside interference starts getting more of my attention than my actual work — and when that outside interference doesn’t appear to be going anywhere soon — that’s when it’s time to throw in the towel and head somewhere a little more conducive to focusing on my work. This could just be another room in the house or a completely different location altogether.
Knowing What to do and When
Knowing yourself and your work trends can go a long way in staying focused when working from home. Personally, I’m a morning worker. I probably get more work done in the first three or four hours of most days than I get done the other ten hours until I go to bed.
Realizing this fact though and using it to my advantage makes a huge difference in my at-home work productivity levels. Working on my toughest projects and pushing myself hardest during the morning hours when I’m most focused allows me to get 80% of my work done in a very short duration of time.
Accentuate the Positive
This little jewel of work focusing advice came by way of my grandfather. He always advocated leaving off work on a good note if at all possible. I find that by doing this, I’m left looking forward to coming back to my work rather than dreading it. And while it isn’t always possible to accentuate the positive at the end of the day or when taking a break, all I have to do is remember how stressful my days in the work environment used to be, and I remember how lucky I am to now be able to work from home.
Revenue Tracking
For me personally, I find that tracking my revenue can be a great way to keep myself focused on work. Understanding income and productivity levels can help me zero in on how things are going and where improvements are needed, often honing my focus on certain areas of improvement.
When I realize that revenue numbers are down, it often pushes me harder to buckle down get those numbers up. When I realize revenue is up, it often makes me feel better and like doing more work. Therefore, either way my numbers come in, it can be a good way to stay focused and push my at-home work productivity a little more.
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Disclaimer:
The author is not a licensed financial professional. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Any action taken by the reader due to the information provided in this article is solely at the reader’s discretion.