Motivating Mum UK

Running a small business is a great deal of work in and of itself, but for mums doing it from home, there is a whole range of additional challenges. Of course, there are certain advantages to working from home: no transportation, more comfort than most offices, and if necessary you can keep an eye on kids, pets, etc. But some of these same comforts can be fairly distracting, which means that it’s important to find inventive ways to keep your focus on your work, even in the midst of your home environment. Here are a few tips on how to do so.

Establish A Home Office

Establishing a home office doesn’t just mean designating a place in your home where you conduct business – it means truly setting that room apart for business only. That may mean setting up a desk area with everything you need, putting curtains or shutters on the windows so as not to be distracted by the neighbourhood, etc. Not only will this simulate an office environment and inspire more diligent work, but it will also make it clear to your kids that your office is a work space where they aren’t supposed to spend time, make noise, etc.

Put On Some Music

Not everybody works well with music or television in the background, but if you want something to further isolate your work space, music can be a great way to do it. Swing by the closest electronics shop or head to MySmartBuy online for a set of speakers to put in your office, and you will be able to put on any play list that you can work well with. This helps to block out distracting sounds from the house or neighbourhood, and for some people can even improve general concentration.

Take Scheduled Breaks

Finally, you should work out a schedule for your breaks during the day. Working from home, it can be tempting to get up from your desk whenever the spirit moves you. This can lead to decreased concentration on your business, as you may even be inclined to start multitasking – getting things done around the house while trying to do your work.  It’s amazing how compelling even mumdane housework tasks can become when there is a tricky work task that you are trying to put off.

In some situations, this is manageable, but generally speaking it’s better to devote your full attention to business during the work day. Scheduling specific break times allows you to avoid multitasking, and to focus solely on your business while in your home office.
This is a guest post by Lauren Jenkins. Lauren is a freelance writer and blogger who writes on a broad range of topics related to working from home.