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5 Ways to be More Productive in Business

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Published: 27Jan2009
Word count: 870
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If you join me at my home office you'll think to yourself "Linda's got it made! Great space, no interruptions, a nice leisurely pace."

What you won't spot are the challenges that creep in when you step out of a business office setting. The separation between work life and home life dissolves and a new version of multi-tasking sets in. Feed the cat, check the email, take out the barrels to the street, run to catch that client call, move the laundry from washer to dryer.

This is the reality of the home office: a new set of distractions and interruptions, a new game board waiting for a new set of rules, of structures for how to use time and energy. It's based on my own experiences in both of those environments, and those of my colleagues and clients.

Every once in a while a regret creeps in - wishing for the hard wired start and stop times and disciplines and boundaries of working in an office setting. I thought I'd share some of the simple 'external' tricks you can use to stay on track.

1. Set Your Space.

Designate a separate work area in your home, distinct from where you relax and socialize. This is easy if you have a spare room you turn into your 'office.' You create a challenge for yourself if (yes, like me) you find yourself carrying business papers and the phone into the rest of your home. Suddenly 50 percent of your living space becomes covered in work material, keeping you wandering and too open to the distractions and reminders of other to do's - a sure invitation to procrastination!

If you don't have a separate room, define a distinct area you'll use when you're "in work mode." Furnish it with proper furniture, phone, file cabinet and shelves that are used for your business alone.

2. Set Your Mindset.

Space is the first element, as it can be fixed. Our mindset, however sure can shift!

Decide what hours of what days you are committed to focusing on work. Start each day by listing out the 3 to 5 goals you intend to accomplish that day. Whether in the office or at off site, working in person or meeting by phone, know exactly what you want to achieve. Hold to that discipline so that when interruptions creep in, or invitations to take breaks show up, you can ask yourself "Is this in line with the goals I set for today?"

3. Structure Your Time.

Two challenges creep in with time and how you use it. If you have a day with no interruptions, you can find 5 hours pass right by in a blink - as your back stiffens and you mold to your chair. On the other hand, if the phone is constantly ringing, 5, 8, 12 hours can pass and leave you with the feeling "I haven't done a thing all day!"

It's more important than ever that you own your time. You can do it with ease if you'll carve your day into time blocks, each with a specific purpose: gym time, problem solving time, client call time, meeting time, break time, and so on. Then grab a timer or alarm, and set it for the length of time you want to use. As you deliberately create blocks of time, it becomes easier to stick to that activity AND get things done, as well as to know when to get out of that chair and eat and stretch.

4. Suit Your Self

We humans have a tendency to send ourselves off into trances - thinking we're in the 'zone' ... yet completely unaware that we're coasting at half speed or less. Know exactly how YOU work most effectively - is it alone, or with others? Make it a point to alternate what you're doing throughout the day. Uninterrupted thinking times alternating with times returning calls. Alternate time sitting at the desk with breaks to take a 10 minute walk or so 5 minutes of step-ups on the porch or stair master. And vary analytical work with verbal, and so on. The shifts will help you check in and see if you're on track or distracted.

5. Leverage Technology

By moving out of the office you've exchanged advantages: no more long boring time wasting rides back and forth to an office... but no more casual encounters to quickly solve an issue. You need to take the reins and sort out which tool and which venue is the most productive, not just the most convenient, for getting the results you want.

Phone, fax, e-mail (and even text messaging, oh my) shouldn't be used haphazardly. You need to communicate flawlessly so that your time is being put to it's highest and best use, and so is everyone else's. Have a direct business phone line, a separate fax line (or get a service that puts it into your email) so that you can always be reached during business hours. And be sure you've got your voice mail message set up with a professional instruction to your callers.

Oh, by the way - the same techniques will make your productivity soar if you find yourself back in an office environment too!

Management expert, consultant, and coach Linda Feinholz is "Your High payoff Catalyst." Linda publishes the free weekly newsletter The Spark! to subscribers world-wide and delivers targeted solutions, practical skills and simple ways to build your business. If you're ready to focus on your High Payoff activities, accelerate your results and have more fun at it, get your FREE tips like these visit her site at www.YourHighPayoffCatalyst.com

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