Let's admit it when working forom home, or looking for work from home, it's easy to get distracted. To start managing your distractions and increase your focus try these 5 tips

1. Set your hours
   The first step is knowing when you need to be focused. Set clear points for when you will start and finish working each day and be strict with these times.

2. Plan breaks
   In your calendar plot when in the day you will step away from work (Add alerts to remind yourself). Use these short blocks of time to
   rest or indulge your distractions.

3. Remove the cause
   There’s truth to the proverb “out of sight out of mind”. Try leaving your phone in another room, or sitting with your back to distractions and temptations, such as the TV or that coy packet of biscuits.

4. Note it down
   We’ve all been there, you’re trying to work and then “Oh I forgot to send Aunty Val’s birthday card!”. Keep a notepad handy to capture any unrelated thoughts, ideas, and actions to do at a better time.

5. Use sound
   Listen to music that motivates or calms, or try wearing headphones (with no music) to increase focus. Search Youtube for sound recordings of rain, fire, or coffee shops to create the perfect level of background noise.

Adam Ellison

The founder and course mentor at The Monday Morning Club