Work at Home Tip: Minimize Distractions

I've been working from home since 1989, and I can tell you that one of the biggest hindrances to productivity is distractions. Whether it be in the form of friends and family stopping by or calling, chaotic thoughts directed towards the household duties that need to be carried out, or a temptation to surf the Web, watch TV, or play a video game while you should be working, these will all make it difficult for you to meet goals and carry out your work in a timely manner if you're not careful.

Here are a few tips to help in this area:

Set boundaries with family and friends

People who don't work from home just don't fully understand the dynamics of what your workday entails. They think that you can do what you want when you want. It's not their fault; they only know what they know. It's up to you to establish boundaries, and enforce them, about when they can call, drop by, or ask you to run errands for them.

Turn off the ringer on the house phone

It's just easier this way. Maintain separate phone lines for your business and personal lives. Turn off the ringer of your personal phone during the hours that you've established as work hours for yourself. You can check your messages periodically, i.e., on breaks and during your lunch hour, to ensure that no major emergencies occurred while you were in work mode.

If you have children, instruct the caretaking adults in their lives to text or call you on your business phone in the event of an emergency.

Don't keep a TV in your home office

Soap operas, talk shows, and reality shows are the banes of productivity. They're such time sinks that you can think that you'll turn on a show for just a few minutes or so and before you know it those few minutes have turned into hours. In the refrain of a popular campaign that was ongoing a few years ago: just say no.

Stay away from social media

Even worse than TV, social media can totally wreck your work day if not properly restricted. Catching up on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, whatever, if they are not platforms directly tied to your work, can result in a whole day wasted sharing, posting, and pinning. Set aside 30 minutes before work and 30 minutes after to devote to these activities, and whatever can't be done during that time just isn't important.

Either don't do housework during working hours or only do it in pre-established intervals of time

This is one that seems to be a primary temptation for my fellow lady workers out there. Even if you have your own office in your home, there's just something about being at home that screams that the laundry needs to be done, meals need to be prepared, trash needs to be taken out, and floors need to be swept and mopped. Either make up your mind that you won't do household chores during your normal work hours, delegate the work to other family members (or even hire a professional), or only do a little bit of each task while on break - maybe for 15 or 20 minutes or so.

By minimizing distractions during your work-at-home day(s) you can stay focused and productive, and as you already know, focus and productivity equate to $$$.

Sources:
Inc.com: Get More Done: 18 tips for Telecommuters
Forbes.com: 10 Tips for Working from Home
Personal experience

*Photo: Paulo Ordoveza via Flickr.com

 

[Originally published on Yahoo! Voices (no longer published there).]

Work at Home Tip: How to Increase Your Exercise Throughout the Day

by A.L. Woods, Staff Writer

I've been working from home since 1989 and thoroughly enjoy it. One of the downsides of not going into the office though is the propensity to become complacent and not be vigilant about one's personal fitness. Most folks who work from home do sedentary work, and as a writer I am no exception. It is important to get regular exercise at least five days a week, and I'm here to share a few tips on how you can increase your exercise throughout the day.

Just keep moving

The human body was not meant to exist in stasis. Just like automobiles and buildings, what you don't use starts to deteriorate. Exercise is a wonderful way to stave off the effects of aging and help the body to fight off chronic diseases. You don't have to do anything fancy; you don't even have to have a gym membership. Just make sure that you get up during the day and get moving. One of the easiest and most cost-effective exercises that you can do is walking. Walk around the house, walk around the block, walk up and down the stairs - just walk! And make sure that you get a cumulative amount of walking in equivalent to 30 minutes a day.

Move in your seat

Although it is important to get up and move around at least once every hour so that you can keep a brisk circulation, you can also move around in your chair. Do leg lifts, side bends, even push-ups from a sitting position using your chair as a base. Again, the important thing is just to keep moving. Have you noticed that most fidgety folks rarely, if ever, happen to be overweight? It is because that constant movement that they do helps to keep the metabolism stimulated and as a consequence they burn extra calories throughout the course of the day.

Do a little housework

Although you don't want to create any distractions from your work flow that will cause you to fail your productivity goals for the day, you can always get up periodically and do housework for predetermined increments of time, maybe 15 minutes or so. This is also a great way to multitask. Sweep, mop, do laundry, wash dishes, empty trash cans. Every little bit of movement adds up to major health benefits.

Finally, always consult your physician before embarking upon any strenuous or new exercise regimens. Everybody's system is different and what may work for another person may be a health hazard for you. In the final analysis though, making a conscious decision towards movement throughout the day can be, and is, a very healthy strategy.

Sources:
Joslin Diabetes Center: Tips for Increasing Physical Activity
The Mayo Clinic: Exercise: 7 Benefits of Regular Physical Activity
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute: Guide to Physical Activity
Personal experience

*Photo: Rance Costa via Flickr

[Originally published on Yahoo! Voices on 07/01/2014 (no longer published there).]

Work at Home Tip: How to Maintain Productivity When Working From Home

by A.L. Woods, Staff Writer

I've been blessed to work from home almost continually since 1989. Over the years, I've tried a couple of times to go back into office work, but it just didn't suit my nature. Not having to spend eight hours a day on a 'cube farm' is a wonderful thing, and I'd like to share my tips on how to maintain productivity when working from home.

Maintain a daily in-office routine

By this I mean get up, wash up, and get dressed as if you're going to work (casual business attire is fine), and follow the standard business hours that you've set for yourself. If you've decided that your workday is from 8:00am until 4:30pm, then with only few exceptions find yourself working during that timeframe. Keep a space reserved in the house that is to be used exclusively as your office.

Minimize distractions

The truth of the matter is that most folks who have never worked from home don't really understand the dynamic. They think that you can just up and play, run errands, and talk on the phone without restriction and without consequence. You and I know though that the set-in-stone formula for working at home is time=money. It's up to you to set boundaries about when people can call, come by, and ask you for favors.

Create a system for meal preparation

Maintaining high productivity hinges a lot on how you feel, and how you feel depends to a great degree on what you eat. Get a system in place where you can prepare meals and snacks in advance so that when hunger hits you aren't tempted to hit the fast food joints. Place an emphasis on lean meats, fresh fruits and vegetables, filtered water, and healthy snacks.

Get at least 30 minutes of exercise in every day

As above, your productivity success is affected to a great degree by how you feel, and exercise can help with that. It doesn't have to be a complicated routine; you don't even have to go to the gym. Try walking around your neighborhood for 30 minutes or working out to an exercise DVD. Just get moving! Your choice of exercise is only limited by your creativity.

Use productivity systems

Use little productivity techniques, like the Pomodoro system. This is where you use a simple kitchen timer and work and then take rest breaks in intervals. There are also apps that you can install on your computer to block websites that can kill your productivity.

Take a lunch break every day

It's important that you give your mind a rest during the course of your workday. Plan a lunch break that's not only long enough to have time to eat, but use it to return phone calls and emails, take care of simple household issues that may arise during the day, and even run a short errand or two.

All of the above tips taken alone may seem very simple, but when combined they make for a day that is very productive, that minimizes stress, and that will leave you with a sense of accomplishment. Incorporate a few of them, or even all of them, into your own workday and come back and let me know how it works out for you.

Happy working!

Sources:
PomodoroTechnique.com
Mashable.com
Personal experience

*Photo: David Svensson via Flickr

[Originally published on Yahoo! Voices on 06/22/2014 (no longer published there).]

Work at Home Tip: Live on a Budget

by A.L. Woods, Staff Writer

I've been working from home since 1989 and love it with every fiber of my being. It doesn't matter the route: telecommuter, entrepreneur, independent contractor, or freelancer - working at home is a wonderful experience. An essential element to working at home is living on a budget. You wouldn't believe how easy operating in your comfort zone makes it for you to lose track (and control) of your hard-earned dollars.

Here are a few work-at-home tips for living on a budget:

Live below your means

When you make a conscious effort to keep your expenses at a level that is drastically less than what you bring in you have the ability to save, give generously, and meet your daily living expenses without strain. Living below your means=living with a reduced level of stress.

Minimize the use of credit cards

Credit cards can be a death knell on a healthy budget. Compound interest rates keep you in debt when you only make minimum payments. Try to pay cash for as many goods and services as you can. You would be surprised at how much money this one tip alone will save you over the long run.

Watch your food expenses

Fast food is expensive and unhealthy. The food budget is one of the largest line items in many families' budgets. Discipline yourself to grocery shop and cook at home. Be on the lookout for sales, specials, and coupons. Take advantage of fresh, and less expensive, produce available at the farmer's market. Prepare meals in advance and freeze them for your own homemade version of 'fast food.'

Avoid car payments if at all possible

Excessively high car payments can put a strain on a frugal household budget. You're not the only one who has found themselves trapped in this area. I, too, have undertaken the monthly payment road before. Everything is well and fine when times are good and money is flowing freely. It's when emergencies arise for which no funds have been set aside and you find yourself financially strapped that car payments can become a problem. Buy used and pay cash, or position yourself financially where you're able to save most of what you make and still pay cash, but buy new, if you so desire.
The key is to get a mindset to pay cash.

Be wary of impulse buys

As much as possible, prepare for purchases, especially major ones, in your budget. Don't take the "I see, I want, I buy" approach. This can lead you down the road to financial disaster. Great peace really can be found in a budget, and once budgeting becomes a habit you'll find that it's difficult to live any other way.

I hope that these few tips will help someone. A work-at-home lifestyle equates to freedom, and if you can keep a reign on your expenses you can enjoy your freedom without stress or worry.

Sources: DaveRamsey.com: Eating Healthy on a "Beans and Rice" Budget
DaveRamsey.com: How Much House Can You Afford?
SuzeOrman.com

*Photo: Keith Ramsey via Flickr

[Originally published on Yahoo! Voices on 07/01/2014 (no longer published there).]

Work at Home Tip: Get a Comfortable Chair

by A.L. Woods, Staff Writer

At the time of this writing, I've been working from home for at least 25 years, and I truly love it. I've tried going back into office work a couple of times, but it just didn't agree with me. Most people who work from home tend to have sedentary jobs. In these kinds of circumstances, an important work-at-home tip is that you get a comfortable chair.

As I sit here and type this article I'm fumbling and fidgeting and writhing in pain. The reason why is that I decided to work from my kitchen table this evening instead of up in my home office - where I do indeed have a comfortable chair. The chair that I'm sitting in right now is all wood with just an excuse of a cushion on it. I can feel the discomfort in my back, my legs, my thighs, and even my neck.

In order to be productive (translation: productivity=$$$), I have to be able to stay in my chair for extended periods of time, and this just isn't going to cut it. I feel pretty certain that many of you have had this same experience.

Purchasing an office chair meant for prolonged sitting doesn't have to send your wallet into a tailspin. As long as you follow a few basic guidelines you can get creative with the 'where' of where you're going to get your new chair and take steps during the buying process that will allow you to shave a little money off of your purchase.

According to Spine-Health.com, the most important factors to consider in purchasing a chair are height, width and depth, backrest, seat material, arm rests, and swivel. Click on the link for more specifics on how to make your selection.

A simple clue is that you should not be slumping in any way as you work on your computer. Your body should be positioned in an almost straight line with your head tilted slightly forward. If you're feeling any discomfort at all, then you don't have the right chair.

Sitting in a chair not designed for comfort for long periods of time can wreak havoc on the body that may not show up right away, but, trust, the negative effects of such will show up with a vengeance way on down the road.

Have any of you ever had to suffer the torture of sitting in an uncomfortable chair for 8+-hours a day? How did you solve it? What kind of chair were you able to find that ended your discomfort? Did you have any ill effects from having endured it for so long?

Share your experience with us in the comments box below.

Sources:
Spine-Health.com: Office Chair: Choosing the Right Ergonomic Office Chair
Personal experience

 

*Photo: Joe Whited via Flickr

 

[Originally published on Yahoo! Voices (no longer published there).]