I don’t know if you are like me, but I dream of a job that gives me flexibility of time and place. I find myself looking through the job postings on Craigslist.org or our local big classifieds site at KSL.com for legitimate jobs that allow me to continue working at home. Most are “business opportunities” and are scams with companies trying to take advantage of dreamers like me. Truthfully, I don’t know if I could handle a work-at-home job at this point in my life. I have a three-year-old and a one-year-old at home, and my wife’s to-do list keeps growing. I think coming to an office is a break at this point in my life, but I know many people may be ready for a work-from-home career.
That got me thinking and wanting to help others think about working from home or even thinking about getting their degree online. Those students who can develop the discipline to go to school, graduate, and earn their degrees online are far ahead of their modern work ethic. There are so many distractions at hand today that you really need to have a plan of attack to stay on task and get what needs to be done. I thought I’d try to put together a list of things that have distracted me when working from home and/or studying from home, and actions to overcome the distractions.
Distractions and Actions
* TELEVISION
*Music
* Pajamas
* Empty stomach
* Instant messaging
* Unnecessary programs
* Schedule
* People/Family
* Internet
* Computers and Software
Television
If you have a television in your office or study, remove it from your office or study or at least TURN IT OFF! If you are a YouTube addict, turn YouTube off. You can even block it using OpenDNS.com or other website blocking services. This can help you overcome your YouTube addiction.
Music
Have you ever found yourself jumping out of your office chair and strumming the electric guitar and taking the lead on the microphone, right in the middle of something very important that needs to be done? Well, that’s a bit annoying, isn’t it? If your music distracts you, then you should do something about it. Change what you’re listening to, turn it down or turn it off. Music during work and study is not meant to entertain you, it should support your mind in processing information.
Pijama
When working at home, it can be easy to work in just your underwear and not fully commit to the day. I always recommend taking a shower and getting ready as if you were going to an office or school. This will help you feel mentally ready for the day and feel like you’ve already done a lot. You should always be prepared for any situation and respect yourself, your family and/or your roommates with good hygiene. 🙂
Empty stomach
An empty stomach can have a distracting effect. Make sure you feed yourself. You are less likely to get up and have a snack if you fill your stomach first. I know many times I find myself getting up and snacking all day. Get what you need and take it to your office. Schedule snack breaks, but treat them like mandatory 15-minute breaks every 3 hours or so. Don’t do them every 10 minutes.
Instant messaging
Most recently, I tried to create a separate IM account for work. This has prevented a lot of BS conversations. I know I start a lot of unnecessary IM conversations. If you have enough friends, the IM conversations never end. Don’t give up instant messaging completely, but turn it off when you work or study. Instant messages can be a great way to network, but there must be a reason they’re on. The same can be applied to Twitter. This also applies to text messages. Turn off your phone if it’s too big of a temptation and it becomes too big of a problem.
unnecessary programs
I’m sure most of you have many different programs, from graphic design to Twitter programs. You should remove any distractions caused by inactive programs. If you need a program, you can always open it again, but don’t leave it idle, turn it off. This will also improve your computer performance by not consuming computer resources.
Schedule
Goals require game plans. Your work or school day should have some sort of schedule. Just because your schedule can be flexible doesn’t mean you can just do things whenever you want. You must create a fixed schedule to work or to study and do homework. Flexibility should only be used when it has to be used. Remember that when you take time out of your schedule, you have to put it back. Flexibility just means that things that are usually done at a specific time can be postponed to another time. You must make up for lost time without interrupting the rest of your schedule. This is often the most important element when it comes to working at home or studying from home.
People/Family
When working or studying from home, set boundaries with your family, friends, and/or roommates. They need to respect your time so that you can keep your job and/or get your education. It is much easier for them to respect your time if it is scheduled. When they don’t know the next time you’ll be available, it’s easy for them to justify bothering you. That’s why a consistent schedule is so important. An office with a door and a lock doesn’t hurt either. It is good to create a work/study space. Heck, maybe you’ll even get one of those “OPEN” signs or some sign that helps illustrate to people that you don’t want to be bothered. You can teach your children to understand the sign and leave mom or dad alone when the sign is on.
Internet
The Internet can be distracting in many different ways. First of all, the obvious, do not look at things that are not related to your goals and tasks for the day. I think the internet is the main cause of ADD today. It is too annoying and easy to lose orientation during the day. The second thing that can be distracting is the speed of the Internet. You’ve committed to working or studying from home, invest in a decent internet connection. Find something that is fast and reliable. You should be able to write it off on your taxes so you can get the good stuff too. Sometimes schools and employers will help pay for the connection.
Computers and Software
OK, the last one is the one everyone has been waiting for. If your computer sucks and is slow, get one to help you be more productive. A computer that just works and requires less maintenance. This is a loaded discussion. My two cents is to get you a Mac. Sometimes your employer or even his major in school will have required programs you have to use and may require a Windows machine or vice versa. Be sure to ask your school or employer the right questions before you buy a new computer. You may also find that there may be some software that will help you become more productive. Identify the things you will do with the computer and get some programs that will help you be more productive. Again, this should be a cancellation. When you buy your computer and software, ask about a student discount, most students get deep discounts on software and computers.
Conclusion
Working from home or earning your degree online from home can be a difficult thing to do, even though it seems so much easier. It requires some organization and planning to make sure your employer and your education get the necessary time and respect. You can apply these tips as a full-time or part-time employee. You can apply these tips as a full-time or part-time student earning your degree online or receiving your training online. Be sure to organize what works best for you, and respect yourself by executing what you have organized. Stay focused and good luck.