If you call a corner of your living room or your guest bedroom the headquarters of your home-based business, you know the drill: you sit down at your desk, and then, inevitably, the dog needs to go out or the baby's up from a nap or the kitchen's snacks are calling your name. Follow these tips in order to keep your work rhythm, even if it's right smack in the middle of your living area.
Keep your Work Area Clean
One of the big challenges with a home-based office is keeping your areas separate. One way to do this is to keep any "household items" away from your "work area." That means when you sit down, there won't be your kids' homework on your desk, dishes to be cleared or other distractions. Keep your work area neat and organized, and only allow work-related items to accumulate in the area.
One way to make sure that your work area stays separate and work-only is to have a work computer that isn't used for anything else. If it's a "work-only" computer, you won't end up with strange programs on it, peanut butter fingers on the keyboard or homework scattered across the desk.
Keep the Areas Separate
Of course keeping organized and keeping your work area "work-only" are good ways to be able to focus when you sit down. But it's also important to keep the space physically separate. If you have any kind of option, make sure your office is in an area where you can create a totally separate space. For many home-based business owners, this means designating a spare bedroom as an office, but that's not necessary.
If you've got some room in your backyard, consider erecting a shed-like building (like a Modern Cabana or your own creation) to host your office space - this can be a great option since it offers a physical separation of space between your living space and office space. Just be sure to check with your local government for building regulations.
If you've only got that corner of the living room to work with, try installing a temporary "wall" by mounting curtains from the ceiling or putting up a room partition or screen. That way, it keeps away kids and other lingering eyes, and creates a physical separation, which can also help create a mental separation.
Set Kitchen Hours
Snacking all day can be a great feature of working from home - or a terrible distraction. One way to keep yourself out of the kitchen (both for the sake of your waistline and your productivity) is to set kitchen hours. Maybe you're allowed to go in for breakfast, once for lunch and for one glass of water each hour. If you write it down, it'll keep you from wandering in there with no clear goal.
Work with a Timer
Keep a kitchen timer on your work desk and set it for as long as you want to work. Then you don't have to check the clock, and you know you can't get up from your desk until the timer goes off. This keeps productivity high, because you can afford to lose yourself in your work and you'll know when your time is up because the timer will ding.
All in all, make sure your home-based business area is working for you and allowing your business to be everything it can be.
