Find Your Work-From-Home Zone: Beating Distractions So You Can Focus
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Do you struggle to focus when you’re working from home? We get it – it happens to us, too. Sometimes it seems like there’s an endless list of other stuff to deal with. So how can you minimize distractions in your home office and get your work done when you’re thinking about what to make for dinner, the laundry that needs folding, that school permission slip you forgot to sign, or what’s going on in politics or your social media accounts or the house next door?
You’re not alone. There are plenty of articles and Reddit threads devoted to finding your focus when working from home.
That’s why we’ve put together some tips for you! Giving yourself the time to read this article might just help you reclaim your productivity.
Try Working In a Low-Traffic Part of Your Home
Is the life of your family getting in the way of getting things done in your at-home career? Especially for parents with young kids, it can be almost impossible to concentrate in the flow of daily activities.
To minimize distractions in your home office, try working in a space that separates you from the hustle and bustle of your household. If you can, pick a room with a door (like your bedroom or a guest room). That can make an easy signal to your family when you’re in focus mode. Plus, it helps block out noise – and the sight of that sink full of dishes!
If you don’t have a dedicated space you can use and you have your own home you could try adding an office to your home to create a personalized work zone. This gives you the advantage of being able to design the space to meet your specific needs.
Of course, that’s not an option for everyone. What if you can’t add space or find a room with a door to close? You can try rearranging your furniture strategically to carve out an area where you can focus. Buying or building room dividers can help, too.
If you need ideas on how to make a simple but pretty work-from-home station in a small space, check out this pandemic-era video.
Be Clear About Your WFH Boundaries
When you’re a parent, your kids might think you’re always available for everything they need or want. If friends and neighbors know you work from home, they might think you’re always free to babysit, chat, or volunteer.
Remember the saying “good fences make good neighbors?” Setting clear boundaries around when you’re working will help you avoid distractions. Discussing your work hours and expectations with family and friends is like building a good fence.
Here are a few quick scripts to set boundaries around your work:
- For someone asking you to take on a volunteer project: ”I work from ten to two. I can’t take on anything else between those hours.”
- For your children, if they’re old enough to understand: “If the office door is closed, it means not to come in unless it’s an emergency.”
- For your partner: “I need to work from three to six tonight so we can watch a movie later.”
- For a neighbor: “I’m sorry; I need to work and can’t chat now.”
Being upfront about your boundaries will help people see that working from home doesn’t mean you’re not working. And that will help cut down on interruptions during your working hours.
Beware of (Other) Screentime
Have you ever been working away, and your phone pings? When you emerge from “checking one notification”, an hour has passed? Or tried to work while watching a show, only to realize you’ve seen three episodes, and your to-do list is still untouched?
Unrelated screens can really derail your focus. Phones, tablets, or TVs can be tempting distractions, or even seem urgent. But because they’re such a part of our lives, they can quickly take over, and “one more thing” can take up all the time you had for your at-home work.
If your other screened devices are attention-grabbers, try moving them out of your workspace. If you can’t do that, changing your notification settings so that you only get urgent messages during work hours can help.
The more you minimize distractions in your home office, the easier it will be to focus on the task at hand. Keeping unneeded screens out of your workplace is one small way to optimize your work from home office for maximum productivity that can yield big results.
You can also try a distraction blocking app. There are a variety of options, from one you can never change once you’ve set it to one that gives you cute animal pictures when you try to access a blocked site.
Work During Your Best Focus Hours
Do you know which parts of the day are your most productive? For example, I’m at my best in the evening hours. That’s when my mind comes alive with creativity. Maybe you’re an early morning person, or one who works best in the wee hours.
Whenever your most focused hours fall, understanding when you’re most energized and alert means you can schedule your most focus-intensive tasks during that time. You’ll get more done faster when you match your workflow with your natural focus peaks.
Of course, if you’re a parent, you might have to choose between your natural productivity rhythms and syncing your work hours with your child’s nap or school schedule, if they’re not the same.
How do you figure this out? Tracking how you spend your time for a month is a great way to start. You can opt for pen and paper, a simple spreadsheet, or try a time-tracking app.
Break Up Your Work Sessions
You find yourself alone in your house for the day. No kids, no pressing chores – just you and a major work project. What do you do?
You might think that a marathon session can get you through the work faster. But focusing for hours without stopping isn’t as effective as taking regular breaks. Regular short pauses give your mind time to recharge. And this boosts creativity and concentration. So, ultimately, you can get more done when you break up the day into work and rest sessions.
You can use these breaks to stretch, hydrate, or walk your dog. I often use them for quick home and yard tasks that don’t require much thought: laundry, dishes, a bit of weeding. Taking intentional, timed breaks can help you stay engaged and refreshed throughout the day. And that makes it easier to return to work with renewed focus.
Not sure how to break up your day? This video introduction to the Pomodoro method is designed for students, but gives an excellent (and fun!) breakdown, plus tips to help you get started.
Conclusion: Reduce Distractions to Maximize Productivity
Do any of these tips appeal to you? Can you think of other ideas that might help you get a handle on the things that take your attention from your work?
Minimizing distractions in your home office does take effort, especially when you’re a WFH parent. But trying out these tips can pay off in a more efficient and enjoyable work-from-home experience. Taking these steps will help you stay focused, maintain your boundaries, and boost your productivity. If you try one of these today, your week might become much smoother!