| I struggled for a long time when I started working from home. I tried all kinds of things, but what ended up working best for me was treating it like I would any other job. I get up and go to work at the same time every day. I take time off for lunch, and I quit at 6:00 PM every day (assuming I don't have any pressing deadlines). That's not to say I don't allow myself any benefits of working from home. I'll take a long lunch with a friend every now and again, but I try not to let my routine slide over an extended period of time. It's also important to set a precedent early on about what disturbances you're willing to tolerate, if any. I handle distractions the same way I would at an office. If it's an emergency, I deal with it. If it's not, I politely remind the offender that I'm in the middle of work and then I get back to it. As far as temptations go, I think it depends on what your vices are. That being said, controlling your environment is the easiest way to limit your temptations. For me, internet browsing was by far my biggest time-suck so I used an app called "Self-Control" to block access to sites I waste time on. I don't need to use it anymore, but it helped a lot in the beginning. I also used to do crazy stuff like unplug my electronics to keep myself from watching TV or playing games. Taking the time to plug everything back in was usually enough to remind me I shouldn't be doing this right now. Really, It just takes a bit of experimentation to get the ideal routine down. Took me over a year, but now I'm super productive. |