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

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 http://www.pathofpurpose.com.

Mercedes Benz s500 rentals Salem ..

In The News:

Streaming giant Roku has recently been targeted by a pair of cyberattacks, and the company confirmed over a half million Roku accounts were compromised.

The Land Aircraft Carrier combines an all-terrain, six-wheeled vehicle with a two-seat aircraft, which features electric vertical takeoff and landing.

The European Union has sent TikTok a "request for information" on the video sharing platform's newest app, TikTok Lite, under the Digital Services Act, with the aim to clean up social media.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

The FBI is warning the public about a recent phishing scam via text that claims its targets owe money in Pennsylvania for unpaid road toll charges.

Your Apple Music settings may be revealing to your contacts what you're listening to. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains the process to change those settings.

Learn how to secure social media accounts, implement legacy contacts, and create a digital estate plan to protect your online assets from 'ghost hackers' after your death.

A ported phone number scam is leading to more people having their identities stolen by sophisticated scammers. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson tells you what you need to know.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a vast marine debris vortex, is being tackled by The Ocean Cleanup’s innovative technologies. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson explains.

Discover easy solutions to tame autocorrect frustration on iOS and Android devices. Turn off, customize and add personal touches to your typing experience.

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals the six top things to do right now before it’s too late: Tech and life choices that can keep your safer on and offline.

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson shows you some simple steps to discreetly hide apps or an entire app page on your iPhone for decluttering or confidentiality.

The ambient light sensors on smartphones may be turned into cameras, according to researches at MIT. This could pose a threat to people's privacy.

The Autonomous Road Repair System from tech firm Robotiz3d uses artificial intelligence technology to locate potholes and promptly seal them.

Scammers have stooped to using artificial intelligence to scan obituary websites to create fake obituary websites to target the grieving.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

A Mercedes-Benz Manufacturing factory in Hungary is using humanoid robots to help with human staffing shortages on the factory floor.

Some video games act like unregulated banks, according to CFPB, which has begun monitoring the situation. The agency says children may be most at risk.

Ascender the robot is capable of climbing stairs with heights up to 8.7 inches, and it can give every corner of your home a deep cleaning.

Tax-return scams are on the rise, and one tax expert from a cybersecurity firm says filing your taxes on time is one way to avoid tax scams.

The innovative XPENG Robot Unicorn is inspired by the mythical unicorn, and you may forget the robot is not actually a living creature.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

The Federal Trade Commission, the federal agency to report scams to, is being impersonated as part of a new sophisticated phone scam.

Eatrenalin is a restaurant in Germany with a Floating Chair innovation that makes the 17,000-square-foot venue feel like an amusement park.

U.S. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall met with the Senate Appropriations Committee on Tuesday and said he plans to ride in an autonomously-operated aircraft this Spring.

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

Time Management