Today, there are many people who work from home. There are freelancers whose entire career consists of working from home. The best way to ensure productivity while you are working from home is to turn off the “time wasters”. Before you can do that, you must identify the things that are slowing you down.
Social Media
Social media can be tricky for freelancers. Writers and bloggers are often working on assignments that require them to write about the “hot topic” of the day. Social media, especially Twitter, has become the go-to for the latest news. The goal is to find the news as quickly as possible and then get off of social media so you can work.
Find a topic that seems noteworthy. Close the social media. Start doing research. You can go back to Facebook, Twitter, or other social media and browse after you are done working.
Checking Email
Email is the most common way for freelancers, and their clients, to connect. Many freelancers do not have a “work email”. All their email comes to one address.
The best way to save time while checking email is to only open the emails that relate to work. Leave the rest closed until after your work is done. Are you waiting to see if the pitch you sent got accepted? That situation can compel people to check their email over and over again all day long. Don’t waste your time doing that. Spend that time working on the assignments you already have.
Monitor your Breaks
People who work in retail, or at an office, take breaks. Workers tend to come back from a break a bit more refreshed and ready to work then they were before the break. Freelancers who work from home have to learn how to monitor their break times so they can get back to work quickly.
Set a timer on your smartphone for 15 or 20 minutes. Do something relaxing. Read a few pages of a book. Play a video game. Have a cup of coffee. When the timer goes off – it’s time to get back to work! You will be more productive thanks to the refreshing little break you took.
Family Distractions
Freelancers who work from home often find that their spouse and/or children “forget” that they are actually at work. They can see you, right there, at home, and so they start making requests for your time.
The way to end this time waster is to make it clear when you are working. Hang a sign from your computer monitor, if that’s what it takes! Respond to their requests after the work is done.
Image by Steve Garfield on Flickr.
Related Articles at Families.com:
* Staying on Track While Working from Home
* Setting a Schedule and Sticking to It: Part One
* Setting a Schedule and Sticking to It: Part Two