Working from home is one of the most attractive parts of the freelance lifestyle. You could easily lose an hour or more of your day if you don't actively avoid that temptation. Take time out of the workday to exercise. While this might feel like an excuse to stop working, studies show that people who work out during the workday get more done than people who spend that time at their desks. I schedule everything during my workday to ensure I get the maximum output from every hour. You might be tempted to spend your work hours, meal times and breaks at your desk. If your friend invites you to lunch, go for it. If your friend invites you to play golf at 2 p.m., think about whether the temptation to clock out early is worth the loss in productivity. When you work from home, people start to view your time as free when it’s anything but. Working from home can be more productive than working in a noisy, people-filled office -- but it takes discipline to make it happen.
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Working from home is one of the most attractive parts of the freelance lifestyle. Away from the distractions of a traditional office, your productivity should naturally skyrocket. Right?
Actually, that’s not always the case. While it is possible to be productive in a home office, working from home offers an entirely new set of time-wasting activities to knock freelancers off their rhythm. From the temptation to sleep in to the ever-present television, low productivity is only a moment of weakness away.
To avoid falling prey to common distractions, identify the ones that pose the biggest challenges and learn how to avoid them. Here are a few that have taken down many an entrepreneur.
1. Scrolling social media.
Even if you work in social media marketing, keep your personal social media usage separate from your work life. It’s one thing to promote your blog posts and scout for new prospects — it’s another thing to spend 30 minutes flipping through your cousin’s vacation pictures.
Set limits on when you can access your social media accounts so you don’t fall into an unproductive rut. Social websites are designed to suck people in. You could easily lose an hour or more of your day if you don’t actively avoid that temptation.
2. Sedentary sluggishness
When your commute is just a few steps from the bedroom to the office, it’s easy to get complacent about your physical well-being. However, if you don’t respect your body, your…
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