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.

quick home cleaning Arlington Heights ..

In The News:

In response to infostealer activity increasing 500% in a year and harvesting 1.7 billion user credentials, the CyberGuy offers four ways to stay safe from infostealer malware.

Looking Glass has developed a 27-inch light-field display that allows you to see digital objects in three dimensions without headsets or glasses.

A CCTV video purportedly originating from a Chinese factory shows a robot appearing to lash out at two men in an unexplained incident.

After years of delays, travelers must now show a REAL ID, a valid passport or another federally approved ID to travel. May 7, 2025, is the deadline.

Driverless tractor-trailers are already traveling on Texas roads, raising questions about safety, reliability and the future of trucking.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals that a new AirPlay bug lets hackers take over Apple devices via Wi-Fi with no clicks needed.

This Mother's Day, gift Mom tech gadgets that simplify life, connect and show love. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson offers some ideas.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reports that Tesla owners are facing threats as hackers weaponize leaked data. Are you next?

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson discusses how a paper pill bottle could revolutionize pharmacy packaging and cut plastic waste drastically.

The private information of about 4 million people was exposed after a major data breach involving VeriSource Services, a Texas-based HR firm.

Archer Aviation and United Airlines have teamed up to offer a more environmentally friendly way to skip New York City's traffic jams and reach your destination more quickly.

Healthcare company data breaches have leaked personal data of millions of people in recent years, and the CyberGuy offers ways to keep your information safe.

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

Police around the world are adding robots powered by artificial intelligence to their departments, and Thailand has emerged as one of the key players.

Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains five cleanup hacks — a few smart automations and tools — to declutter your technology and keep things running smoothly.

Kurt the CyberGuy breaks down whether it’s better to remove your personal information from the web yourself or use a data removal service.

Google’s scam detection features, powered by artificial intelligence, are a significant step forward in safeguarding Android users from fraud.

The FBI has issued a warning that scammers are impersonating doctors, police and banks using spoofed numbers as "smishing" texts surge nationwide.

Communities with unreliable internet service stand to gain after Amazon's Project Kuiper launched its first full batch of satellites into orbit April 28.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says unsubscribing from spam might actually backfire. Learn when to avoid it and stop junk effectively.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about how the first nonstop beating heart transplant, called zero ischemic time, at Taiwan hospital changes surgery.

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson: FBI warns of "time-traveling" hackers.

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about a soft, vine-like robot called SPROUT that aids safe survivor rescues in collapsed buildings.

Health insurance giant Blue Shield of California confirmed it had been sharing private health data of 4.7 million users with Google for three years without even realizing it.

Delta and JetZero’s blended wing body aircraft marks a meaningful step toward a cleaner, quieter and more efficient future for air travel.

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

Time Management