How Remote Workers Can Minimize Distractions

This article was published on yonder.io on December 6, 2018.

Working from home allows tremendous flexibility and is a total work life balance game changer. It does, however, come with a few challenges. Distractions ranks pretty high on that list.

Minimizing distraction starts with setting boundaries for yourself and for your family and friends. While you might have flexibility with your working hours, it’s important to set dedicated work hours and communicate those hours to your internal team, clients, family and friends.  Stick to those hours—if not you will find yourself working 24/7 and getting burned out… or not working at all and not having a job.

I’ve found that having dedicated office space in my home is helpful in setting boundaries as well. When I’m in that area of my home, I’m working. The door is usually closed, as this signals to my family that I’m unavailable. They know that when the door is closed, they need to knock (or just leave me alone.) I often only close the door to focus when I’m on a call or deep in numbers or writing. Other times, I’ll leave it open, and my family knows I’m open for a break.

Taking breaks is key. If you are finding yourself becoming distracted, you may just need a break. A break can mean walking to the kitchen for a coffee, or wandering outside to get the mail, or taking a 15-minute stroll around the neighborhood. Whatever works for you is what matters. Take a real break for lunch. Do not eat lunch at your desk. Take snack breaks. Take water breaks.

Oftentimes, I hit the local coffee shop or the beach to work. A change of scenery is what I need to refocus and jump start my creativity. When I’m at home, I easily get distracted by household chores. Getting out of my home often helps me to focus on work and only work. Calendaring helps also.

I have a master calendar that reflects my life—it includes both work and personal. I have time blocked off to drop off/pick up my daughter at Montessori School, go to doctors appointments, and attend meetings. I even block gym time, lunch time, and break times. I live by my calendar, and those little ding dong reminders keep me on track and distraction-free.

Since I do work from home, I regularly receive FedEx and UPS deliveries that I must sign, however, the added distractions of sales people knocking and interrupting my work day became too much. I invested in an inexpensive “No Solicitation” sign for my front door, and now if I hear a knock, I know I need to answer it.

There’s a lot of construction happening in my neighborhood currently, and that means loud noise. I’m thankful that I invested in a pair of good wireless headphones not only for the video calls, but to block out noise when I need silence to concentrate.

It’s hard to concentrate when you have a cluttered desk. Knick-knacks, receipts, junk mail, Post-It notes, and bills on your desk are total distractions. Take a few minutes each evening before you sign off for the day to clean, straighten, and organize your desk. Simply clearing away the clutter from the day will help you end your day and separate work time from “going home” time. You’ll also feel great when you log on the next morning, and you have a neat and orderly clean slate in which to start.

I usually start my day reviewing my to-do list for the day and my calendar. Knowing how my day looks and what I need to accomplish helps me focus and minimize distractions. I schedule out the tasks that need to be completed for the day around my standing appointments. My work is deadline heavy. There’s always a hotel contract due, a client byline due, award submission or speaking engagement deadline, or a timely social media post. I always start with those deadline sensitive deliverables and go from there. If there are a few admin or “mindless” tasks, I’ll knock them out of the way first –it always feels good to cross off a few line items straight away. What’s your best advice or tip for overcoming distractions when you work from home? Tweet us @acannistraci to share your tips!

The Freelancer Dream and Finances

Freelancing is the dream, right? You wake up when you want, work a little, go to the beach. MYTH. Freelancing is HARD. It’s can be challenging to be your own boss, be 100% responsible for you and your business. That’s a lot of pressure. Your job is to find clients, and keep them. And if you have a family -- work/life blending (not balancing) is an added obstacle. And what about the business side of the business—the finances. That alone can be scary and overwhelming. It’s important to know how to handle the money you’ll be making in your new freelancing career. And more importantly, to find a trusted accountant.

Several Accounts

Freelance = feast or famine. Either you are inundated with work,  or not working at all. For this reason, it’s important to always have a savings account to cover at least three months’ worth of expenses. In addition to a savings account, you should keep your banking accounts separate: for example, personal, business, and taxes. As a freelancer you are responsible for paying your own taxes. So when freelance checks comes in, approximately 40% should go straight into the tax savings account. 40%? Yep. You’re still responsible for your share of income (including state), Social Security, and Medicare taxes. Your accountant will advise you to pay quarterly taxes –and what that minimum amount is--to avoid end-of-year penalties. This really brings into account the importance of tax planning as many freelancers have other investments, so it is important to look at all your taxable sources to determine the proper tax savings amount. A good accountant is priceless as a freelancer.

Benefits
If you are new to freelancing, the lack of benefits--like no health insurance or 401K—can be the scariest part of your new business.  It’s important to research individual health/vision/dental plans to determine which plans fit your needs and your budget. Health plans can be quite costly, and you must account for this added expense. Also, you should talk with your accountant regarding tax-advantaged saving options such as SEP IRA, SIMPLE IRA, self-employed 401(k), or an IRA. Saving for retirement is important.

Track Everything

Track every last penny. Keep all of your receipts. Use Excel, use a piece of notebook paper, or buy proper software. This will be key in helping you and your accountant determine your taxable income, and help support your deductions. Further, your accountant may find more tax deductions of which you weren’t aware. Additionally, you’ll want to keep these documents in the case of IRS audits.

Live Within Your Means
While working from home does have its advantages—more flexibility, more family time-- it’s still not all glitter and glam. You’ll still have to live on a budget, which you’ll be more vested because you are controlling every aspect of your income.  Finding new ways to live comfortable and within your means is part of being a freelancer. Perhaps, you’ll surprise yourself and discover ways to reduce your monthly expenses.  With a little leftover, perhaps you’ll be able to experience something you’ve always wanted, or put some away for retirement. Finding the right projects and right clients that will allow you to achieve your financial goals while also living the lifestyle you prefer –that is the freelance dream. 

I would love to hear what other freelancers are doing to manage their finances. Care to share?