The Keys for Staying Productive When you Work from Home

So you have made the leap! You have started your own home based business. It might be full time or just a few hours a week but, you have gone where every American wants to go! So you thought it was going to be cool to get out of bed at 8:45 and make coffee and get to your computer at 9:00. Watch T.V. in the background while you worked all day or maybe you were just thinking of getting a afternoon nap in everyday!

It is all good until the 3rd day and reality sets in. You are not getting anything done!! It’s not easy to stay productive and effective when you’re working at home, especially if you have family or a roommate around. Well no need to panic, it is possible to be productive from home you just have to hold yourself accountable.

1. Work Space
Many people don’t have any extra rooms in their house to make into a office, so they are forced to work from the sofa or kitchen table. If you are going to be working from home full time you need to designate one spot to work. If you have to clean a corner out in your bedroom then do so. You must have a place where you can close a door and get away from the busy parts of the house!

2.Tell People You’re Working With Set Hours!
Don’t let your spouse or kids keep bothering you. You must have a place to close the door and tell them you are working when the door is closed. Don’t have your friends over to watch Sports Center or The View in the morning, tell them you can hang out with them after 5:00. Remember your not being mean, this is your business and you have to be able to work!

3.Get A Routine
If you are working full time from home or just a few hours a week get into the routine of doing the same thing day in and day out. That means get up every morning at the same time and start working at the same time every morning. If you start to sleep in on just one or two days you start to develop a new routine. Remember, you have to “employee yourself”! Keep the daily disciplines in place just like you would if you had to drive to a “job”!

4. Make A Schedule
This goes with getting in a routine. Make a schedule and hold yourself to that schedule. It will help you stay on track and you won’t forget to do things..

5. Make A To-Do-List
This is still my favorite productive tip. Keep a piece of paper next to you and when things come up that aren’t on your schedule put them on your to-do-list. You can also put your schedule and your to-do-list on your computer to help you stay organized. A good resource for getting your life and your new business organized is a book by David Allen called “Getting things done” Get it here

6. Stay on Task
Don’t get off your schedule and forget to finish your to-do-list! Its hard to hold yourself accountable when you don’t have a boss looking after you. So when you feel yourself getting off task just stop and ask yourself how bad do I want my business to succeeded Its all up to you, your accountable.

7. No TV.
This one is a no brainier NO TV while you are working! Now I know a few of you reading this are like I work better with the TV on. If you are one of those people have at it. I’m not going to argue with you. Now if you are the other person who knows it is bad for you, just leave it off.

8. Take Breaks
Take Breaks just like you do at work! Take a lunch hour and get out of the house, get your blood flowing. If you try and work non- stop you are going to get burnout! Take your dog for a quick walk, get fresh air, and your Productivity will go up!

9. Getting Dressed
Many people when they work at home think rolling out of bed and walking to work in your PJ’s is the greatest thing in the world. The downside is being in PJ’s most of the day probably won’t help. There’s a formality about getting dressed that prepares us mentally for the job ahead.

10. Business Phone Line
Have a separate line for business only! Now at 1st you might be keeping your cost down, but when you can work it into the budget, it’s a must. I have used Skype for a year now and have a phone number with them. Its only $10/month and my phone is on my computer!

11. When You Are Off, You Are Off
Enjoy your time off! If you stop working at 5:30 and your business phone line rings at 8:30, let your voicemail get it! Don’t let your work take over your home life, it’s a must if you don’t want to get burned-out .

12. E-mails
Don’t spend hours a day looking at your e-mails! Build it in your Schedule and do it one to two times a day. So many people spend half the day reading e-mails for nothing. If it doesn’t build your business, don’t do it!

Remember, it’s all on you!  Employee yourself, look in the mirror at the end of the day and ask yourself, would you have been hired or fired for the effort you put in today if you were working for someone else?

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