The Laundry Has Never Been More Fun Or The Pitfalls To Working At Home

As a home-based, self-employed woman, mundane tasks can be as compelling to me as chocolate. Laundry. Dishes. Email. Try as I might to stay focused on running my business, at times, these uninspiring tasks beckon to me as a moth to a flame.

Why, you might ask, do I compare the common task of laundry to the delightful and satisfying experience of chocolate? It's not that I adore the opportunity to do household chores, but sometimes any distraction is easier and more enjoyable than hunkering down to work.

It begs the question, why do I want to avoid my work? I love my business. There's nothing I'd rather do for a living. It gives me the opportunity to be creative, serve people and hopefully give back to the world. I'm bountifully aware of the benefits.

I know I'm not alone in this dilemma, I hear it all the time, procrastination; lack of focus and distraction is a universal challenges for self-employed people. What's more, for the self-employed person working from home, this treacherous trio can become a slippery slope.

Before I offer solutions and tips for improving focus and productivity, consider what underlying issues might be at the root of your problem.

You can't build a strong foundation on sand. Any attempt to construct supporting structures or find solutions won't last if you haven't paid attention to the basics.

Begin by moving through a self-evaluation to discover if you have a foundational issue at the root. If you do, don't get discouraged or mired in it. You can address it in a way that will move you forward. As a person smarter than me once said, "denial's not a river in Egypt" and they were right!

Examples of underlying issues that can be at the root of distraction or procrastination can be: Anything you don't want to face or deal with regarding your business. Are sales sluggish? Are you worried about cash flow? Are you dissatisfied with your work and need to make a shift? Do you lack confidence or skills you need to accomplish your mission? Are you afraid of rejection, failing, succeeding, being too visible?

If so, you're not alone. If you can relate to any of these questions don't worry, they're NOT insurmountable. What CAN be insurmountable is the daily energy drain of procrastination, lack of focus and distraction. Once you name and claim the true "problem" you have a real shot at fixing it.

What will you do to address what you discovered? You can work with these issues in a variety of ways from inner reflection to requesting outside assistance. I challenge you to commit to this.

Here are the solutions and tips I promised:

1. Take your work seriously. Create a distinction between work time and home time. Make sure everyone in your family and your friends know your schedule. You might need to train your loved ones. Conversely, when you're done with work, be done with work and turn off the computer and phone.

2. Have a separate space designated for work. Close the door. This is an important psychological and literal necessity to create boundaries. Also, make sure your work doesn't drift all over your home. Even in tight quarters, there are numerous storage container systems that with minimal investment will create a harmonious shared environment.

3. Dress for work. It's tempting to stay in your cozy sweats. After all who's gonna know? This subtle action sends a message to your subconscious. It also helps you "put on" your professional hat when engaging with customers. Just like smiling, when you're doing business on the phone, conveys a clear, positive attitude customers can feel, so does dressing the part.

4. Make a workday/work week schedule and stick to it. Divide your time into categories of activities such as working "in" your business (this is the actual work you do), working "on" your business (this includes the support work you do to make your business function), thinking time, lunchtime, whatever you want to include in your day.

5. Schedule your personal chores and errands around your work time. Resist the temptation to throw in a load of wash between work activities. Five minutes here and there can add up and before you know it you're wondering why you didn't get as much accomplished as you intended.

Working from home is a wonderful opportunity full of many benefits and advantages or it can be like a pebble in your shoe, a constant source of friction and frustration. You have the choice. Clear any obstacles at the root of your frustration. Make sure you take time to put supportive systems in place. I guarantee it will make the difference in your level of success and fulfillment.

Ok, now I'm off to do the laundry?just kidding.

It's YOUR life?live it completely!

Helaine is a professional coach and writer, who has been featured in numerous publications, including "O" The Oprah Magazine. She helps entrepreneurs and professional women accelerate their professional success, while achieving a more complete and fulfilling personal life. She combines a broad range of professional experience in her work, including management positions in the education, training, retail and international non-profit sectors. For a free consultation, contact her at 603-357-8546 to discuss how she can help you accelerate your own success. You may also visit her website, http://www.pathofpurpose.com, for additional information, or email your questions to helaine@pathofpurpose.com.

---

Decrease Your Sleep, Increase Your Energy! And Have More Time In Your Day!

Many of the world's most driven and successful people sleep... Read More

How To Better Handle Your Mail

Letters, magazines, bills, flyers, what to do with them all.... Read More

Time Management Doesnt Exist! So What Can You Do?

There is no such thing as time management. You cannot... Read More

7 Ways To Improve Your Life In 7 Days

Choose to be HappyHappiness is a choice. You can choose... Read More

Organization Tips That Add More Hours To Your Day

One of the most common complaints that small business owners... Read More

Get More Done at Your Office: Focus on These Eight Areas for Increased Productivity

Your productivity depends on good tools and effective environments, and... Read More

Time Is Everything

Time is wealth;Time is health; Time is power; Time is... Read More

The Key to High Productivity is Energy Management

One of the issues most often raised by my clients... Read More

Could you use a ?Stop Doing? list?

One of the tried and true organization and time-management tools... Read More

How to Find More Time in Your Day-Balancing Career and Family

Goal Planning-Achieving balance in a person's life requires assessment of... Read More

Prioritize Your Life for Success

Today, it is hard to open an e-mail newsletter, a... Read More

Doing Things We Dread

As I sit here in front of the computer... Read More

New Adventures - in Four Hours a Day

"Can you find four extra hours in your day?" a... Read More

Tips to Save One Hour Per Day

At Home? Keep related items together, for example the coffee... Read More

Talkin About Chicken

Yesterday, I'd just gotten comfortable at my favorite table in... Read More

Organize Your Time

Most people want to start a home-based business to make... Read More

TIME, The Undervalued Resource

We are all born equal! We all have the same... Read More

5 Result-Getting Time Management Tips

How often have you tried to manage your time in... Read More

Time Management: Eliminate Time Killers to Gain More Hours Every Day

There are two types of time killers in everyone's life.... Read More

31 Ways to Get An Extra Hour Out of Each Day

How can you get an extra hour out of each... Read More

Your Most Important Appointment

An appointment is simply a mutual agreement to meet with... Read More

Work, Work, Work: Making Each Moment Count

Time, time, time. It seems there is never enough of... Read More

Time Invested Wisely = Your Dreams

This past Friday I was asked to speak with a... Read More

Mercury Retrograde and Time Management

The concept of Mercury Retrograde is very well known even... Read More

10 Ways to Take Back Your Time

I've divided my tips into two sections - 5 ways... Read More

How Are You Viewing Your Time?

In working with and coaching people across the country, one... Read More

Time Management: How to Make Your Meetings More Productive

In most organizations, meetings are often the biggest time-wasters. With... Read More

Self Care

What does it mean to practice self care? It's creating... Read More

How to Define a Successful Time Management Strategy

One of the most challenging aspect in life is time... Read More

Living on Purpose: Achieving Balance Between Work And the Rest of Your Life

Many of us get so caught up in day-to-day pressures... Read More

Managing Worry: Productivity Tips for High Achievers Who Worry

Are you a worrier? Do you frequently spend time and... Read More

Simple Strategies for Home Based Business Owners to Reduce Stress and be More Satisfied

Handle small emergencies fast: When a small emergency does pop... Read More

Expand Your Time

In our time-crazed society, lots of time is what most... Read More