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One of the biggest challenges in a home business is being productive as opposed to just being busy. There are a number of distractions throughout the day that can snare us when working from home. One way to combat that is to stop trying to multitask and make use of applied focus sessions.
Advanced Life Skills points out that applied focus sessions should last about 45 minutes. Then you should take 15 minutes to focus on something else. Here is what the blog points out about what should take place during your applied focus session:
It also means that during your 45 minute applied focus session you will not allow anything (except dire emergencies) to distract you. No phone calls in or out, no checking emails, and no twitter, facebook or StumbleUpon. The goal is 45 minutes of uninterrupted focus on a single predetermined task.
When my son is at home, I do have trouble with this. There is no bigger working from home distraction than a child. But it is made easier if he has a friend to play with, if it is the first thing in the morning and he can amuse himself, or if I get desperate and turn on the TV. When school starts again, though, I will be able to apply this technique with more success.
For now, my version of an applied focus session revolves around compartmentalizing. I do a batch of writing for a specific purpose, then take a break to check email or get lunch.
Do you think applied focus sessions would help you?
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Great point! I like the idea that you can teach this to your children.
For those with children at home, especially young children, it may not be realistic to expect 45 minutes of uninterrupted time. However, teaching your children to use a scaled down version of this technique can benefit everyone. As they grow older, the sessions can be lengthened. In the end, they will have learned a valuable skill, and parents will have 45 minutes of uninterrupted time. Don’t expect this to happen right away because children have a very limited attention span, especially at a young age.
Sadly, I don’t think this technique will work on children 🙁 Which is why I’m putting it off until my son is at school. Having another child for him to play with helps, though, as does a small amount of TV time.
A child is very distracting. I’ll try this technique and see if it helps.
–Work At Home Safari