How to stay motivated when it's raining (or sunny)

I don't know about you, but when it rains I want to bake cookies. Now ordinarily that might not be a bad thing, yet what I should really be doing is working on my client's projects (or my own projects). I work at my home office "alone" most of the day so it is easy to get distracted by laundry, kitchen duties, baking, phone calls from family, cleaning, taking a nap, looking out the window, organizing my files (you know--anything but working). But client deadlines come calling and I am snapped back to reality.

So, some things I use to keep me motivated are:

• Turn on iTunes or other music player. I especially like some upbeat music to keep me moving. 
• Set the timer and work in 50 minute increments for each client. You would be amazed how much work you can get done in 50 minutes. Then I take a break for 10 minutes and start over again.
• Set goals--my goal is 5 hours billable time every day. Once I hit that I often keep working, but if I see that I have only worked 3 hours and it is 4 pm--well I got some catching up to do. And I don't like that. By 4 pm and I want to take a break and relax with the kids and help with homework.
• Make sure I schedule some time for a lunch break. I sometimes forget to eat so I have been scheduling a 30 minute lunch break on my Outlook calendar with reminders set. That ensures I take my lunch and get a much needed break during the day.
• Rewards for completing a big project (or a small one). My friends and I call it "eating the frog." I do one thing that I have been really dreading or putting off. An example might be having a difficult conversation with someone, exercising, or calling the plumber. Anything that I would rather not do, but really needs to be done. Once I have done that, I reward myself with something (5 minute break, 30 minutes to relax/meditate/read). Just be sure the reward is something special to you (and inexpensive helps).
• Clear off my desk space. I seriously get bogged down in craziness when my desk gets crowded and piled up with files and "stuff." So I stop what I am doing and put everything away. Then I grab the file that I need to work on next and get started again. 
• Plan my day the night before. Nothing is worse than coming into your office in the morning and you have no clue what to start on first. So before I leave my office for the night, I print out my calendar for the next day and put a quick note in the right column with any pressing deadlines or things that HAVE to be completed that day. Then when I get to work I can focus on those items right away before checking email or any distractions start coming at me.

That is my short list of distraction busters/motivators that I use on a daily basis. Oddly enough, these things also keep me really organized, productive and on top of my business. It is all connected. If you aren't organized you certainly will have a hard time being motivated.

So, stay motivated and let me know what things you do that work for you too.

Comments

[Casie]

This is a really good list - I love the idea of writing down the things you need to do the night before. I LIVE by post its and to dos and it is definitely a great way to stay on track...especially the days when I just don't want to work. I started using TeuxDeux.com which is pretty awesome and definitely keeps me on track.

[Amy Thill]

Great tips, Sharon!

[Valerie Crowley]

"Plan my day the night before..." That's something I used to do at the office and I haven't done it since becoming a VA.

Thank you - that's been missing in my practice, and it really shows.