Avoiding the distractions of working from home

Those who work in busy offices with noisy colleagues and constant interruptions may see working from home as a chance to focus and get more done in blissful silence. But if you work from home for more than the odd day at a time you'll probably discover that working in such a familiar place presents its own distractions that prevent you from being as productive as you'd like.

I like the way it's summed up by my blogger friend Greg, a freelance brand strategist: "Working from home is a curious thing. You are in a happy, comfortable place yet you are working your posterior off to earn a living."

I asked home-based workers about their greatest distractions in a survey on my website and their response, in descending order, was family, neighbours, housework and the lure of food and drink. Here's my advice for combating these kinds of interruptions.

1. Family

To avoid being disturbed by the people you live with, they need to understand that the fact you are in the house does not necessarily mean you are always available. And that applies to spouses as well as children. It's important to explain clearly what you're doing when you're absorbed in work, why it's important, the impact on family finances, plans and so on.

If you have a separate home office you could try a 'Do Not Disturb' sign on the door. I know a designer who fitted a lock on his studio door to stop his small daughters bursting in. I like the rule used by home working parents of older children who stress they are only to be interrupted if the problem involves blood or smoke.

Sometimes relatives who live elsewhere find it difficult to understand that although you are at home, you are working at home and it's not OK for them to pop round whenever they feel like it.

Home-based business owner Karen explains: "In the beginning I had to be really blunt and say 'This is my working day. I'm happy to chat with you after six, but between nine and six I'm at work'". A few people will keep trying it on, she says, but if you keep reinforcing boundaries they will stop.

2. Neighbours

I was surprised how often neighbours were mentioned in my survey as a source of distraction. They see your car in the drive and come round for a chat, or worse, to ask a favour, because you're available all day, aren't you? When word gets round you work at home you might find yourself taking in parcels for neighbours who are out at work all day.

We all want to keep good neighbourly relations but you may need to use Karen's tactic to reinforce boundaries and reduce time wasting. I've heard of home workers resorting to answering the door with a phone clapped to their ear and miming they're too busy, but let's hope it doesn't reach that stage.

3. Housework

Being productive at home often means ignoring household jobs in order to get on with work. I equate it to the commuter who knows they have a certain amount of time each morning to get ready before leaving for work. They wouldn't dream of leaving late in order to get the washing up done. Just because you happen to work at home doesn't mean you have any more time for domestic jobs before starting work.

It's depressing to complete a task and leave your desk glowing with a sense of achievement for a break, only to find the rest of the house is a tip, so just titivate the bits that really bother you. For some people that might mean a quick clear-up of the living room, others might prefer clean work surfaces in the kitchen.

4. Food and drink

This brings us to a subject close to home workers' hearts – the making of tea, coffee and snacks, and the worry many new home workers have about putting on weight due to the accessibility of the fridge.

It's true that little routines do give structure to your working from home schedule, but take care not to fall into the trap of using the kettle as a crutch in every situation. Tricky call with a client? That was awkward, I'll make myself a cuppa to recover. Land a new contract? Coffee and biscuits to celebrate. Not quite sure where this piece of work is going? Making a sandwich will give me time to think it over.

However nice it may be to get away from or no longer have to work with those annoying colleagues in the office, working from home isn't a panacea, but you do have control over your environment. At first it may seem strange to be earning a crust in the familiarity and comfort of your own home, but there are ways to deal with the challenges if you're prepared to find them.

Judy Heminsley is the founder of How To Work From Home, a blog that provides advice and inspiration for home workers, and author of Work from Home. She was a pioneer of the Jelly support group in the UK.

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