Sewing Business Blog

How to Minimize Distractions in Your Home Office

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Working from a home office requires a lot more self-discipline compared to working in a traditional office space. If you’re one of the thousands of people who work or run a business from home, then you too probably deal with distractions on a daily basis.  Here are some tips to help you minimize distractions in your home office:

1. Choose a proper location.

When choosing a location for your home office, try to find a place with a door. The literal act of closing a door can help keep the distractions out. If you need a portable office, then choose the library, a coffee shop, or a similar quiet environment.

If you do not have the extra room in your house or cannot afford to leave home, consider working during hours when the house is usually quiet. Many people choose to work early in the morning or late in the evening while others in the household are sleeping.

2. Dress up.

You may be working from home, but that doesn’t mean you should wear sweatpants all day. Of course, you don’t need to dress in business attire either. Keeping yourself properly groomed will help you stay in an appropriate, productive frame of mind.

3. Create a to-do list on a daily basis.

Create a manageable list of tasks to complete each day. A to-do list will not only give you a sense of accountability, but will give you a sense of accomplishment each time a task is crossed off your list. It helps to work on high priority tasks first and work on easier things later.

4. Set office hours and stick to them.

It can be difficult to get work done when your kids keep asking you to play with them or when a friend drops by for an unexpected visit. Set office hours for yourself, and make sure your family and friends know about these hours.

5. Set aside time for breaks.

Allot a few minutes every now and then for a quick break. Use the time to go for a walk, check your personal emails and social networking sites, chat with friends, spend time with the kids, or play a quick computer game. You’ll be less tempted to do these things if you know you have specific times in the day allotted for a little fun.

Try these five tips on minimizing distractions and you may just find yourself more focused and more productive in your home office than ever before.

Photo Credit: iClipart

Seven Ways To Jumpstart Your Mornings

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With fall in the air and cooler weather outside, it is sooooo tempting to not only hit the snooze button on the alarm clock, but to just shut it off and stay snuggled up in the bed.  And, unless you have children to get off to school, forcing you to get out of bed, the temptation is sometimes too great to ignore.

With home businesses to tend to, unless you’re actually sick, here are a few tips to help you get out of bed and get going in the mornings.

** NEVER turn on the tv in the bedroom while still in bed!  It is amazing how many minutes (perhaps an hour or more?) go by while you’re watching the morning shows, weather or news.

** Make a list the night before of what you need to work on in the morning.  The early morning “foggy” brain sometimes can’t quite sort out what is the high priority work items, so it becomes easier to just do nothing until the brain “clears” and you feel like working.

** If you are a daily paper reader, get up and do the early morning routine, then get your coffee / breakfast and read the paper.  Allow yourself a certain amount of time to do the paper reading and breakfast/coffee time frame, then clean up the breakfast area and head on into the work room or office.

** Get your extra coffee / water / coke ready BEFORE heading to the office or work area — if you don’t do this step, you’ll find yourself wandering back and forth to the kitchen to get more coffee, then take the coffee cup back to the kitchen, etc.

** Once in the workroom or office, plan on STAYING there for at least 2-3 hours getting some work done before you leave to do any “extra” things that may have popped into your head while working.

** If you MUST run to the store for materials for projects you’re working on, make a list and don’t go after you’ve been working those 2-3 hours; then you can run to the store as a “break”, then come back and get right back to work.

** Most importantly, don’t let neighbors, friends or relatives pop in on you for an early morning “visit”.  Simply let them know you’re not available for chit chat and you’ll call them back later (AFTER you get the work completed that’s on your list for the morning).