Controlling distractions when working from home

Working from home can pose unexpected challenges. Unlike the office environment where space is totally dedicated to working, a work from home space has many non-work related distractions that can cause unexpected disruptions throughout the workday. Controlling these interruptions is not always an easy task, but it is possible to eliminate, or at least minimize, them by taking a few proactive steps.

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Set office hours

Whether you run your own business or telework a few days a week from home, set regular office hours and do your darndest to stick by them. By setting boundaries, you'll be able to minimize distractions, increase your productivity and accomplish the tasks you need to get done.

• Give yourself a dedicated block of time for each workday. 
• Make a pact with yourself to not break your stipulated office hours unless there is an emergency or true priority that arises during your workday.
• Make sure others know your work hours.

Keep in mind, to be successful, it's essential to treat these hours the same way you would as if you worked at an external work location with regular hours your employer required you to be in the building. Between phone calls, lunch invitations and other distractions that tend to happen the home, it may sometimes be difficult to accomplish much work done. Setting specified hours eliminates many of these types of interruptions. 

Establish dedicated workspace 

It's difficult to work in a room being used by several other people in the household. Ideally, a separate room for work is best, but the reality is this isn't always possible. If you're strapped for space, try to give yourself, at the very least, a designated desk and a bookshelf. Close the door during the times you need to work. Additionally, it's important to make sure all your work-related materials are not disturbed if you have your own space. Get yourself a good filing cabinet too. You can keep paperwork and, if necessary, supplies inside.

Screen your calls

If possible, separate your home and business telephone lines. However, if this isn't feasible, make liberal use of voicemail and caller ID. If you're using a landline, install an old-fashioned answering machine so you can carefully screen calls and not get interrupted with non-work related telephone calls (if your line is anything like mine, the majority of calls are spam anyway!) Turn off the ringer, or at least make a concentrated effort not to answer incoming mobile calls or texts. And definitely ignore those social media notifications.

Explain your job to family and friends

Family members (and/or friends) might not understand your job and any constraints and deadlines you may be under. To minimize interruptions, it's important to explain to everyone how unanticipated breaks in your workday can negatively impact your job and/or hinder your ability to complete your work. Once family and friends understand you do have a job even though you're physically inside your home, they'll likely be much less inclined to interrupt you during your set work hours. 

Working from home often brings great advantages thanks to the flexibility and convenience it provides. However, one of the biggest drawbacks to working from home is typically distractions that impact productivity. By making a few changes in the way you approach your day, you can reduce and, probably, eliminate some of the most common interruptions often experienced by people who work from home.