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Since the COVID-19 pandemic, working from home has been the new normal. But, regardless of whether you are a remote worker, run your own business, or work your day job at home, you can attest to the advantages of working from the comfort of your home. Although working from home might be great, you have to deal with all the distractions around you to stay focused.
The following explains the major distractions you can face when working from home.
Family
It is an undeniable fact that family is your biggest distraction when working from home. You cannot ignore your child when they start crying or tell your partner to keep quiet when they are asking you questions. You might also be distracted by the fact that you want to spend more time with your family. To avoid this distraction, talk to your family and inform them of your schedule. You can set a time and schedule that will be strictly for working.
Television
Although it may sound obvious, television can be a very big distraction, especially if you are a television addict. Television is also the easiest distraction to slip into. Whether you want to watch your favorite Netflix show, a soap opera, or infomercials, television only takes a few seconds to drain your productivity. To avoid this distraction, don’t turn the TV on when working.
Pets
If you are a pet person, they can also be a distraction. When your cat walks on the keyboard asking to be cuddled or your dog whining at the door wanting to go outside, you cannot just ignore them. They need your attention too. However, this is a distraction you can take care of. Since most pets are schedule-oriented, you can train them to be time conscious. Instill good habits in them.
House Chores
House chores can distract you big time. Previously, when most people went to work, they left some chores behind so that they could attend to them later. However, when you are now working from home, you feel a constant urge to attend to those tasks immediately. To take care of this distraction, pre-plan so that you have enough time for each task.
Social Media
When you are working from home, there’s a huge temptation to scroll through social media pages. There is no risk that your boss might walk around and look at what you are doing. Without even realizing it, you are deep in social media’s rabbit hole. To avoid this, you can turn off notifications for all your social media accounts and allot a separate time for scrolling through social media.
In conclusion, working from home will become a wonderful experience if you manage all the distractions around you. Self-discipline is also important in ensuring productivity. A work schedule or plan will ensure you avoid distractions and beat procrastination while also allowing you to spend time with your family. So, the key is PLANNING.