Identify & Eliminate Distractions
[private].[/private]A distraction is anything that draws your attention away from the business at hand. Prior to eliminating distractions in order to make your work time more productive, you must first take a moment to pinpoint and identify these distractions.
As you are working diligently on your projects, be aware of anything that reduces your ability to focus or diverts your attention. Some prime examples of common distractions are:
- the television
- a radio
- a ringing phone
- screaming kids/spouses/siblings/boyfriends/girlfriends
- email alerts dinging every few minutes
- instant messaging windows popping onto your screen
- and the list goes on and on…
One of the reasons you want to be your own boss might be so you have more time for the people in your life, your family and friends. However, this does not mean they should be able to have your attention anytime 24/7. You do have to earn a living.
There are several methods to dealing with distractions. One of the least effective methods is simply trying to ignore your distractions without taking action to minimize or eliminate them, a.k.a. “nipping it in the bud”.
Here are a few basic examples. I know this may seem overly simple, but bear with me for a moment. Many people who work at home fail to take these fairly simple steps to avoiding distractions:
Distraction: Television
Solution: Turn it off
Distraction: Telephone
Solution: Turn off the ringer or disconnect/unplug the phone
Distraction: People
Solution: Either they need to relocate themselves or YOU need to physically relocate YOURSELF
Distraction: Email alerts/instant messages/ other computer programs
Solution: Close the programs or turn off alerts
Seems simple, huh?
All too often people (especially those who work at home) fail to identify and take steps to eliminate distractions. When this occurs, more time is spent dealing with the distractions around you than the actual tasks at hand!
I’ve heard multiple times that many entrepreneurs, especially those who work online, are likely to have some degree of ADD (attention deficit disorder) or ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). I think I have an undiagnosed version of one of the two myself 
.
Whether or not you suffer from ADD or ADHD effectively eliminating as many distractions as possible will give you many fewer excuses as to why you’re not accomplishing the tasks you set out upon on a day to day basis.
Be sure to take heed of these simple words of advice:
“In order to be more effective during the time you spend tending to your online business, ELIMINATE YOUR DISTRACTIONS!”
Finally, plan out scheduled breaks during your work time, i.e. every 45 minutes take a 10-15 minutes break. Sounds like a lot of break time, but trust me. Staring at the computer can wreak havoc on your eyes! You will need the breaks, plus it’s one of the many advantages of being your own boss.
