leri

Yes, It's very important to organize and tidy up the place.

Steve Baker

When I moved from an office down town to working from home, I fell into the old trap of slacking off and not having an entrepeneurial mindset.

Then I decided to act as if I still had the office down town. I would shower, put on good professional clothes, drive out and down to the post office, then go to my home office ready to start work at 8.30am

At 5pm, I would drive out again, go to the post office and post any mail I had (or pretend to if nothing to post), then drive home.

Did that for about 3 weeks, then all was good as I was used to my home office environment then.

honestbizpro

Figured I link to this thread on the same topic...

My Favorite "Productivity Hack"

bioshift

Sweet! I just had to go setup at another building...lol working from home makes me want to lay in the sunshine!

honestbizpro

I only like driving in a convertible! That way if you get stuck in rush hour traffic you are still smiling!

JamesAggie

Once I started seeing results I didn't need to motivate myself. I used to look at pictures of houses, cars, etc to motivate me. However once things started rolling I couldn't wait to start working.

hireseowriters

If you ask me this question, I have a good plan even though I could never follow it properly.

Waking Up Early helps a lot
Take a 2-3 hour break in afternoon or evening (go for a walk or something)
Keep your workplace clean and freshen up when you wake up.
Convey the message to everyone effectively that you are WORKING. I guess this is the hardest part if you have a friend circle.

If possible, sleep early and avoid working on Saturdays and Sundays. Party like an animal on weekends or go for a picnic or something.

I know it is easier to say than done but whenever I could follow such a routine, my life sounded a lot better.

honestbizpro

Add diet and excercise and that is pretty much perfect!

ChrisChoiSEO

I totally understand you. Have you ever tried ear plugs? They're much cheaper than renting a studio

Steve Baker

Where ever we live, what ever we do, all of us must treat our home offices as if we were working for someone in their office.

Exercise early morning, have a good healthy breakfast, shower, dress neatly and go to work at the same time each day and program in at least 8 hours of the day for working - if not more.

Here's something I learnt about working from home.

Eat like a king at breakfast time, a prince at lunch and a peasant at dinner time. During the day, snack on almond seeds to keep your energy levels up. No sugary sweets or chocolates. and drink heaps of water.

That way, you not only keep your body hydrated, you also get to stretch your legs every hour or so when nature calls.

Get Inspired Today

A couple things that helped me the most for productivity are:

1. Going to a different location. For example, I would go to the library to work on stuff. Or, I would go out to breakfast and just think about things and plan with a pen and paper (try to keep crumbs and stains off!).

2. I would take a "breather" of sorts. If you've never done it, you'd be amazed what a short walk around the neighborhood can do for your mental clarity and productivity.

honestbizpro

That's true..also a shower gets my brain fine tuned and ready for action.

















Smart and Clever.

Hey this entire thread probably could be turned into a nice Tips Freebie to get people to opt in to your Work From Home list building.

DanGTD

I would recommend checking out Gtdagenda.com for a personal productivity manager.

You can use it to manage your goals, projects and tasks, set next actions and contexts, use checklists, schedules and a calendar.
Comes with a mobile version too, and with an Android app.

http://www.Gtdagenda.com - use Gtdagenda to manage your Projects and get things done. Now with an Android App.

SarahAnn

This is a great idea. I went to the Library while my car was getting fixed and re-wrote some dodgy articles and got more done in that 2.5hrs than I had at home for 4hrs in the morning. Plus there was no internet or laptop just me pen and paper, Now i just have to type them up.
I think I will be using the Library more now.

honestbizpro

Hmmm the library...
I must be super hyper..because people distract me!

I always want to give someone a kick-ass marketing tip that I wish someone had given me when I was young.

BenBrandes

Close skype, close email, turn off phone and close the door.

Set your timer for 50 minutes and solely focus on doing one thing for that 50 minutes. You'll be amazed at how much you can get done.

Also write out a to do list before you go to bed.

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SharonaB

One tip is to be aware of your own energy levels. If you find yourself treading water through tasks and making little progress; if you are getting distracted by emails or being lured into forum or private chats then that is a sure sign that it's time to take a break.

I would recommend literally leaving the house too. Even if it is just a walk into the garden or taking the papers to be recycled. Re-energize before you get back to work and you will find that productivity follows.

Freelance Web Writer and contributor to www.Nimdx.com a free online directory for online businesses.

honestbizpro

Very good point on monitoring energy levels SharonaB!

This may sound crazy but someone told me that around the time we are actually born is our most productive time of the day..and it is so wierd but for me it is true!

Around 2 in the afternoon for me......hahaha I was born not to have a 9 to 5 I think.

Get Inspired Today

Maybe I was born after drinking some coffee then...

honestbizpro

Good one! Thanks for the laugh!

ashwinsatyanarayana

Initially, moving from a corporate set up with a whole lot of people around me to working from home was a challenge. I got used to the silence & the less rigid timeframes. Met my deadlines, but noticed that when I was at home, sometimes, other things get more noticeable & your priorites begn to change.

I had to be very determined to put in 12 hrs of work at home as against 16 hrs I would easliy do at my previous office.

I quickly took control, ensuring that I treated my time like office time - no phone calls, sms, other emails, answering the door till a certain time. Period.

It worked well for me.

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bill davison

Helps me to have Specific Times to start (and finish) work. And specific Days.

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PhotoshopWarrior

You''ll have more quality time working at home...more privacy and less stressful. No more bad traffics!!..and saves a lot of MONEY!!!

TheGreatestDay

There are so many brilliant tips on this thread!

I have recently started using a timer for my jobs as I don't have many hours to fit it all in to. I recently told my family that I have to act as though I am out and work and ignore the housework etc too... unfortunately the house became really messy really fast and I'm still trying to get it right again! Now I set a time limit for each task and get up and clean or tidy something for my 15 minute breaks every hour and a half or so. That way, I feel like I am balancing stuff much better and it helps me to keep my motivation up.

Have a great day!
Helen
www.improve-my-mindset.com

honestbizpro

Yes there are some great contributions thanks guys.

Recently I have been getting challenged by the time difference in other parts of the world and losing a bit of sleep over it...hopefully this is just a temp phase I have to deal with.

Urban Rehabber

I'm not sure it's "all about discipline"; discipline has never worked for me. I'm a bit 'long in the tooth' to impose new found discipline on my daily regime. I need to work with what I've got.

Without indulging in a confessional, I must say I've been self-employed for nearly 40 years (yes, there were good ones and bad). If only somewhat defensibly, I like to think of myself as a "project" person, serially focused on one project at a time. And, by and large it's worked out.

But, even then, my most productive periods were characterized by a simple 'to do' list. And that continues to work best today, as I try my hand at IM.

It's a 'rolling list', including short to-do items that give me a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day, and larger projects that may be on going. When at a loss, the list is always there, as a reference point to return to (knock off another little task).

Keep it simple; don't be too judgemental of yourself. As long as you tend your to-do list, you'll be moving forward. Tortoise or hare, in the end both cross the finish line.

Stick with the mission. You'll do fine...

- Phil

antiquenh

Avoid distractions and make sure to have a designated workplace too. Working from your room with the TV on won't get any work done. And as some of you have already mentioned, dress up so you feel motivated and become productive.

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Toots

Working from home takes a lot of focus. But the hardest thing I have found, like someone else said, getting people to understand that you are working and not just hanging out.
I have found that drawing up a weekly schedule and allocating house duties to specific times has helped me. It is nice to have a everything in order around the house but once I am in my office I don't see it. You don't see the unfolded washing when you are at work so why worry about it when you are in your office. It can wait!

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TheGreatestDay

I'm completely with you here! I have only just found the balance with the house cleaning area. I took half an hour out to clean my fridge because it was bugging me and then realised that, had I been 'out' to work, there's no way I could've done such a thing! I do get little jobs done but only during allocated time slots (i.e. I give myself lunch/coffee breaks and fit in a little cleaning up then too.) As for people interruptions - luckily I don't get many visitors as I live way out of town but the phone rings alot. I have caller ID on my phone and choose whether or not to pick it up - I also call my mum right before I get started for the day so she doesn't interrupt me at an inconvenient time! She calls daily so I find it easier to control the time of the call instead.

Have a great day!
Helen
www.improve-my-mindset.com

turntwo21

I'm not really a video game guy...

But if i sit down and rip through "Sultans of Swing" on guitar hero for a little brain break, I'm good to go.

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Andrew Davis

Thanks for this Topic!

I was realizing recently too, that when I get myself "Freshened up", and I tidy my working area, I am much more Productive working at home.

I'll try to pay better attention to these points from now on, before I start working.

I also got to start using my ToDO List again.

honestbizpro

Hi Epsilonx5! You are welcome! Lot's of great tips were added.

Once I was waiting for the perfect time to dive into work ...finally got all geared up and had a power outage..that taught me a lesson.

MichaelGk

Write a handwritten, detailed record each day of every action you have taken. Use a Page per day or Two page per day diary.If you took 30 minutes to write an article add it to the paper list. At the end of each day you will have a very motivational PAPER record and list of your real productivity. I mean proper actions in your business. You can see that you did 25 individual things that day. You didn't just consume the internet calling it research.
Writer Michael Crichton of Jurassic Park fame used to keep detailed records of every word he wrote, every day. That way he could see progress.

DA

oh wow, never thought of that Not sure I could work in a library, home is the best place. I am a night owl so work at night when my little one is in bed.

Take a break, stretch - I'm always forgetting that...
Great tips, thanks guys!

johnny_h

I imagine my parents coming over (even though I'm 30). Just picturing them walking into a sloppy office & the ensuing questions about what I do with my time is enough to whip me into shape =P

Also try to make routine of reorganizing everything and cleaning up on a regular basis for the latter of what honestbizpro had to say - I feel better & am more productive, so I make it a thing to make sure and do that regularly.

cthutt

I've scanned through this thread and didn't see a mention of accountability as being an obstacle to productivity when one is an entrepreneur and working alone. It's a wall I hit frequently enough and have devised a little technique for dealing with it.

I pretend that I have an employee coming in to work with me and I have to make up a list of projects to keep her busy (and to justify paying her). I prioritize the projects and tasks and set the production goal for the week and break it down into progressive daily tasks. (I, of course, am my own "employee".)

Now I've got my work broken out for me, day-by-day, and I can focus on the task at hand without wondering if I'm doing the right thing, or enough of the right thing, etc., etc.

Yeah, it's a silly little mind trick, but somehow I am able to be more accountable and productive when I use this technique. Perhaps this is because when one works for oneself, one does not always see the value of one's time.

honestbizpro

I have alot of friends named "Bill" that pretty much keep me laser focused.

I see those "Bills" almost every day!

arklove

Here's a Mini set of guidelines-
for an effective DMO- Daily Mode Of Operation.

A-Set a deadline for your most important goals make sure you stick to the commitment.

B-Be consistent and committed.

C- Don't overload yourself with too much information.

D-Use the 80-20 rule. Remember to spend 20% of your time learning and 80% Implementing.

E- Make sure you stay focused only on Marketing and Income Producing Activities!

F- Track your progress over time and set yourself a weekly review.
( I find Sunday is a great review day)

G- block your work out in 50 minute blocks like Mr Cash mentions get Single task orientated.

GOOD LUCK AND MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU

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BenAlberstadt

I love this tip!

honestbizpro

At some point we have to think like the President Of our Own Company...which we are... and delegate responsibilties to others. (proven to be capable of course..ha.)

honestbizpro

Thought I would bump this thread because Someone copied this exact original post word for word and started another thread!

But still great comments on both so win win.