Making The Most Out Of Your Time To Become More Productive

If you're new here, join the community by subscribing to my RSS feed. Enter your name and email address to the form located at the top of each blog page for email updates. Glad to have your onboard!

Run Your Business From Home? Here’s 10 Ways to Be More Productive
By Alexandria K. Brown, "The E-zine Queen"

Ah, working at home… Visions of leisurely days, conference calls in
comfy sweatpants, increased productivity with fewer interruptions. But
the distinctions between work life and home life soon blur. You really
should throw some laundry in the wash before you write that proposal.
You have an hour before a meeting: Should you balance your books or
clean the kitchen? And remember to call that client back right after
you empty the cat box.

Welcome to the real world of working at home: unforeseen distractions,
a lack of structured time, and sometimes a perceived loss of identity.
But don’t give up the dream just yet!
By putting into place a few simple ideas, you can reap more of the
rewards of working at home. Based on my experiences and those of my
clients, here are 10 simple ways to help you stay on track.

1. Separate Your Space.

Keep a separate, distinct work area in your home. Very important.
(This is especially difficult if you’re living and working in a shoebox
apartment, like I was when I started my business in New York City!)
If you don’t have a separate room, at least define an area, and know
that when you’re in it, you’re in "work mode."

2. Structure Your Time.

As your business and personal time mesh, it’s more important than ever
to structure your day. For example, if you regularly take a walk or go
to the gym, try to do it every day at the same time. Value that personal
appointment with yourself — even when you’re very busy. It will actually
help you keep your business on track! I like to get up early and work
until 1 pm, then I take a few hours off to enjoy lunch and go to the gym
or jog on the beach. Then I’m back at my desk at 5:00 until who knows when!

3. Outsource All You Can.

When I began my business, I made the mistake of doing all my own administrative
work. Whenever you start thinking, "Well I can just do that myself," STOP.
Streamline your business, making everything as automatic as possible. Use
outside services to stay focused on your "real work". Get accounts with an
overnight delivery service, messenger service, bookkeeper, etc. Save your
energy for your brilliant ideas! (Learn more about hiring a virtual assistant
(VA) at www.ezinequeen.com/assistanttele.htm)

4. Use Technology to Your Advantage.

In-person meetings are very valuable when appropriate, but schedule them
sparingly. Try to do most of your business via phone, fax, and e-mail using
the best equipment you can afford. For most home-based entrepreneurs, when
you’re out of the office, you’re NOT making money. So it’s important that
you can communicate flawlessly from where you are. PLEASE do us all a favor
and get separate lines/services for your phone, fax, and Internet! No one
likes getting a busy signal.

Get separate phone numbers for business calls and personal calls, or ask
your phone company about getting "distinctive ring". Also, voicemail is
better than an answering machine, because if you’re on an important call
and don’t want to be disturbed, other callers can still leave you a message.

5. Group Your Errands.

Try to group your meetings and errands together to minimize your out-of-office
time. Make a list in the morning of all the outside tasks you need done for
the day, and attempt to complete them in one fell swoop. Even better, do what
I do and designate just one day a week as your "blitz" day for errands and
meetings. Plus, then you only need to get dressed up one day a week! : )

6. Stay Focused.

Make your workspace off-limits to other roommates or family members when
you’re working. Foryou animal lovers, this may go for pets as well. (My cat
Francine gets jealous when I’m not giving her complete attention!) Keep all
personal paperwork such as bills, magazines, and to-do lists out of sight,
so they won’t distract you from your projects.

7. Beware of Yappers.

Many of your friends and family will be immediately delighted when they
learn that you’re working at home. They picture you lounging on the couch,
eating potato chips, and waiting for their calls. When they call you simply
to chat, politely remind them that you’re working, and ask them if you can
call them back after your day is over. It may take them a while, but they’ll
eventually get the idea.

8. Work With Your Moods.

Keep track of your moods and productivity compared with the time of day. For
example, if you findyou’re more alert in the morning, use this time to make
important calls and do your creative work. Take advantage of your natural cycles.
If you feel better after an afternoon nap, go for it!
(I’m a BIG proponent of the catnap. In fact, I may start a support group.)

9. Suit Yourself.

To bring out your best work, make your environment perfect for YOU.
How do you work best?
Withplenty of breaks, or with no interruptions? In silence, or with some
light music in the background?

On a cushy couch and coffee table, or at a business desk in an ergonomic chair?
(My friends thought I was nuts when I spent $750 on my Herman Miller Aeron chair,
but they quickly understood why once they sat in it!
And my spine thanks me every day.)

Also, find some places you can do work when you need a change of scenery. How
about the library, the park, or your neighborhood coffee shop? When I need to
do serious reading, thinking, or editing, I take my work outside to the pool
or the beach. The sea air, sunshine, and soothing waves help me think much
more clearly.

10. Break for People.

Feeling sluggish, lonely, or moody? Arrange for at least one social break during
the week. (I aim for two or three.) Schedule breakfast, lunch, dinner, or even
just coffee with a client, vendor, or friend. Join a business networking group,
or sign-up for social activities such as dance class or recreational sports league.
Don’t go into hermit mode — it can be self-destructive!

Online entrepreneur Alexandria K. Brown, "The E-zine Queen," is creator of the
award-winning home study course, ‘Boost Business With Your Own E-zine.’ To learn
more about this step-by-step program, and to sign up for FR*EE how-to articles
and teleclasses, visit the Ezine Queen