Tips On Overcoming Your Work From Home Distractions

Many people are working from home at the moment. It has become the new normal after the pandemic although as many people run home-based businesses, it is quite common anyway.

While working from home has its benefits, it can be difficult to stay productive. There can be all kinds of distractions, from the lure of the TV to the people in our lives who want to have a conversation with us. To work effectively, we need to overcome these, and in this post, we have some tips to help you do just that. 

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#1: Block your distractions out

What distracts you from your work?

 If it’s your family members or housemates, simply work in a room with a door that can be closed on them instead of basing yourself in a room where they congregate. If it’s the distraction of your neighbours who visit when they know you’re in, block them out with the best outdoor blinds so they don’t know you’re home. And if it’s the lure of Facebook and other non-work-related websites, install an internet blocker on your phone that operates during your working hours. 

If there are distractions we haven’t mentioned, consider how you might block those out too.

#2: Work in a room with no distractions

If you’re tempted to turn the TV on when you should be working, it’s common sense to work elsewhere. As we said in the last point, this also applies when the people you live with are your biggest distractions. If your phone is a big distraction for you, it’s best to leave it in another room. And if your neighbours are a problem, work in a room where they won’t be able to see you through the window. 

#3: Tidy up before you start working

Many of us get distracted by the sight of mess and clutter as the knowledge that it is there can divert our thought processes. When there is clutter on our work desks, it can also slow down our productivity when we struggle to find what we need. For these reasons, it’s always best to have a tidy up before work commences. Place special focus on the room you will be working in so you have nothing to catch your eye when you’re trying to focus on your work.

#4: Don’t work from home

If working from home is a major problem for you, consider working elsewhere instead. This might not be possible if you have children at home but if this doesn’t apply to you, base yourself outside of your usual four walls. Coworking spaces, libraries, cafes, and even your car could be other places to work remotely, so don’t assume you have to base yourself at home all of the time. 

#5: Let people know you’re busy

Pin a “do not disturb” sign on your door to deter family members and housemates from interrupting you. Leave a voicemail on your phone that lets callers know you’re unavailable. Post a message on social media if you need to. And set your status as ‘busy’ on the various apps you use to communicate with others. 

These are just a few of the things you could do to overcome your distractions. If anything here applies to you, consider our suggestions. If there is anything else that distracts you, continue your research online and look for the relevant solutions. You will get more work done if you do!