Focus Tips: Remote Work Distractions

How Do You Keep Your Focus?

The shift we have all made to working from home has become the norm, whether you have a beautiful home office or work from the kitchen table, focus is a new challenge we are all facing. Some of us have children or pets that are now home with us 24/7. Even if you are one of the few who already do you business from home, you may now have a spouse or roommate who too must work in the same space, changing up your dynamic. Take a look below at the steps you can take to help keep you on target and focused on both profession and personal goals.

Clear your Space

Wherever you do your work, make sure it is your own. Keeping your office space clean and organized and keep you from getting distracted while running through piles of folder and papers to find that one note you may need. If you have a home office this may be slightly easier to arrange than if you are working in a common area of the house. If you are one of the many utilizing the kitchen table as your “office”, it is even more important to get organized as your office likely gets moved around a few times during the day. It is also important to set boundaries with family members so that you can get the most out of your workspace.

Dress For Success

This is one of the best habits you can build when working remote. We all can fall into the trap of rolling out of bed and right on to the computer in the morning ( I mean can you blame us when our commute is simply a set of stairs?). If you can set a routine and expectation to get up an hour early, and take the time to shower, eat, and get ready for your day you will likely see a big change in your ability to focus. Not only will getting dressed and ready for work help you feel more prepared for work, it actually can help click your brain into a “professional” gear, which will help you stay focused throughout the day.

A variety of studies show that the clothes we wear have a cognitive influence of our actions, work, and successes. If you come dressed ready for work, chances are you will do just that, in que keeping focused. Changing your clothes in the morning and taking the time to get ready can also help you keep the separation between “work time” and “play time” which can also have a significant effect on your productivity.

Create Your Goals

As we roll into this time of the year, we have all hopefully thought about what goals we would like to achieve, from sales quotas, to performance and personal goals. Maybe you are crushing them, or perhaps you are feeling a bit behind like the rest of us. The best way to get yourself focused and motivated is to re-visit those goals you were throwing around a few months ago. Have you written them out? Are they in a visible location near your workspace?

a goal without a plan is just a wish - motivational handwriting on a napkin with a cup of coffee

A Harvard Business Study shows that writing down your goals in a way that allows you to review them frequently is the most promising action to help keep you on track, especially when we are working remote. If you have yet to write down your goals, I encourage you to do so. If you are looking for a creative way to display your goals that is effective and dare I say attractive, take a look at creating a professional vision board.

Reminder:

Once you write down all the things you want to achieve, take a few moments to make those goals more specific.

Create Reminders for Important Tasks to Keep you ON Track

Do you have a hard time staying focused at home? Try to take a few moments every Monday ( or maybe even Sunday) to plan out and time block your week. A well planned out schedule can help you keep on track. Better yet, try automating your meetings and time blocks using reminders on your phone and computer.

Time Block

We all can get distracted regardless of whether we are working remote or in an office setting, however those distractions seem to be far more plentiful at home. Set expectations for yourself and electronic reminders to help regain your focus throughout the day.

Alarm clock ringing at 8 o'clock morning

Time blocking can also help you set boundaries. One of the most difficult things to do is “turn off” and “punch out” when we should at the end of each day. It is very important to block your time for productivity and block your time for personal activities and chores.

Pro Tip:

The two largest distractions for remote workers are Social Media and Household Chores. Time blocking can help you set aside time for your chores. Additionally, if you can keep your social media relax time to breaks ( yes I said breaks) and personal time, you will be far ahead of the crowd.

Lastly, we visit accountability and its power over focus. One of the hardest things we face when it comes to remote work can be keeping ourselves accountable to our goals. We often do not have a supervisor or boss watching to make sure that we are on task throughout the day. We encourage you to share your goals and visions with your team mates and let them help guide you through your process. Use your team to help keep you on track and celebrate with them when you have your wins. No matter how small.