How to Manage Your Time When Faced with Interruptions

Do you work from home and on your computer? If so, you are lucky, but also susceptible to distractions and interruptions. Working from home does have its benefits, but interruptions are common. So, how do you manage your time when something always comes up?

 

1 - Tone Out

 

Toning out interruptions and distractions is not easy, but it can work. For example, are you working at an internet café instead of at home? If so, you will find a lot of noise. Don’t let the noise bother you. Instead, just focus your attention on your work and the tasks at hand. In fact, you may no longer notice the background noise after a few minutes, as you learned to tone it out. As a last resort, relocate to a quieter location.

 

2 - Continue to Work

 

The best way to not let distractions and interruptions ruin your ability to market is to keep on working. No matter what do it. Focus your attention solely on the internet marketing tasks at hand and nothing else. This allows you to get your work done and on time.

 

Note: Continuing to work and ignoring interruptions can improve your productivity, but there are some instances where this is not advised. For example, are you a parent? Do not ignore or tone out your children.

 

3 - Do Not Get Frustrated

 

Getting frustrated is the worst thing you can do when faced with a disruption or interruption when working. If you need to, take a short break or take deep breathes. Remember, that distractions are usually only temporary. For example, if someone calls you and you answer the phone, end the conversation quickly. Interruptions that only last a few minutes can still cause you to lose focus and time, but they are not worth getting upset over.

 

4 - Handle the Interruptions

 

The best way to handle interruptions when working is to deal with them so they no longer become an issue. For example, are you a parent whose small child is asking for a drink? Making your child wait, even just for five minutes, will likely result in even more interruptions. So, get your child a drink and then start working again.

 

The same can be said with distracting telephone calls. If someone keeps calling your home, answer the phone. If it is not an emergency, explain that you are working and end the call. Tell the caller you will call back when you are finished working.

 

5 - Eliminate Interruptions

 

As previously stated, the best way to deal with interruptions is to make them no longer an issue. This involves stopping the problem at the source. Remember, there are some situations that you cannot control. If you are a parent, work when your children are asleep, at school, or at day-care. As for the phone issue, do not answer your phone. Use an answering machine to screen calls for emergencies instead.

 

As reminder, you will always face interruptions and distractions when working from home. There are some aspects of life and others that you cannot control. That is why dealing with interruptions should be incorporated into your time management plan. So, take steps to prevent these distractions and interruptions from causing you to lose money. You can handle the issue at hand, tone out background noise, not let it get you down, and keep on working.