Guest
post by Work Babble Sponsor, Debbie Ruston
The holidays can reek havoc on the stay-at-home entrepreneur. Debbie Ruston of Abundant
Lifestyle provides us a few tips…
Organizing
yourself and your workload in a way that prevents interruptions is a pivotal
entrepreneurial skill that must be developed. However, during the holidays,
that can be easier said than done, especially for new entrepreneurs starting
up, when you are responsible for many of the day to day functions of your
business, and you are working out of a home office. Many day-to-day
distractions can get in the way: unexpected drop ins, family/friends calling,
demands of children or spouse, dogs needing to go out, laundry, outside
chores.....the list is endless.
When we
work from a home office, we tend to "see" all the other things that
need to be done in our home and it is so easy to get distracted or interrupted.
I read a study recently that people are interrupted an average of 15 times in
their 8 hr work day, and the challenge with these interruptions is even if they
are only 5 min, when we lose our train of thought, it takes an average of 20
minutes to get back in the swing of things again, and if you were on a roll
with something important, it takes time to get the ball rolling again.
So how do
you get yourself organized, get important things done and maintain balance in
your life? Well it actually starts with the word "organized"(as silly
as that sounds). If you are not organized then everything and anything will get
in your way.
Here are
some key strategies to keeping yourself organized so that interruptions do not
get in the way of your success:
1. Focus. Be very clear on the fact that
when you have work to do, you must be COMMITTED to yourself. Do what you say
you are going to do and give yourself more loyalty and commitment than you gave
to your previous employer. You deserve that!
2. Use a daytimer. Slot in all the important tasks
you need to personally look after and put time frames on them. I recommend
doing this a week in advance. Each Friday I look at the following week and slot
in all my commitments, starting with my fitness classes....these are not
flexible so I put them in first to keep that commitment I have made to myself
to go to the gym 5-6 times per week. Then I slot in everything else including
my down time to be with family and friends.
3. Have a voicemail system. If you are busy with another
task, let the calls go to voicemail. You will get far more done if you stay
focused on what you were doing and then return calls, than if you allow an
interruption in the middle of something. This applies to all other
technological interruptions - email, skype, social media, etc.
When you
have calls to return, sit down and return the calls and do not get sidetracked
with getting a coffee, throwing in some laundry or any other household task you
see on your walk to the kitchen. Do not allow yourself to move from that phone
until you have returned all the calls you have.
4. Set appointments. Book meetings with friends or
family that want to drop in rather than having people drop in
"whenever". You are self employed - if you want to spend time with
someone that is coming over you can time slot as much time as you want - but if
it is a surprise drop in, your time spent with them will not be of the same
quality because you will be thinking about all the things you should be doing.
5. Professional work environment. Make sure you have a private
work space, preferably with a door! When your door is closed it is a sign to
anyone else in the home that you are "working" and can't be disturbed
unless it is an emergency. Some successful home business entrepreneurs even
have an unwritten rule in their home - if the door is shut, unless someone is bleeding,
do not open that door.
Really
this all is just common sense. Decide what you want to achieve and remember
that nothing will interrupt you unless you allow it. When you are an
entrepreneur working from home, YOU call the shots, YOU have the control....be
at cause, not the effect of things going on around you, and remember during
this time of year - ENJOY the holidays - you CAN have your Christmas cake and
it too!
About Debbie
Debbie
Ruston has been a successful entrepreneur since 1987, specializing for the past
5 years in positive media, human interest documentaries, and personal
development - helping people worldwide get better results in their lives. Visit her blog at http://www.debbieruston.com to learn
more about improving your life, and getting the results you are looking for. Those
of you looking for a career change, you can reach Debbie directly at
1-800-576-2917 or 1-519-342-4050 to learn how to start your own business and take
control of your future.
-Thanks
for the great insight Debbie. I appreciate your sponsorship
and I encourage all Work Babblers looking for options to build their dream and
start a business to contact Debbie.
