5 Tips to Better Manage Yourself

manage yourself better with an organized work space

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Working from home is challenging.

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Home Office professionals face lots of challenges and managing the boss-yourself - is a big one.

You know you should be doing more. There is a backlog of work on your desk, 15 calls you haven’t returned and yesterday’s email to open. Don’t despair, adopt a proactive approach to your work and you’ll be surprised at how much more productive you become.

Manage yourself better-put up a do not disturb sign

Time is your money-manage your time well to increase your earning potential

manage time better-let friends and family know not to disturb you when working

Try this handy guide to better manage time in your work at home business

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Tips for better time management

Manage Yourself Better By Organizing Tomorrow

The last thing you do each day should be a careful analysis of what you need to accomplish tomorrow. Take some time to organize each assignment and the tools needed to accomplish it. Make a folder for each job and include any research, instructions or other data needed to finish the task quickly and well.

An agenda or to-do pad is useful, also. List each task in order of urgency and arrange the folders on your desk or computer desk top so that you can attack them one at a time. Just taking a few minutes to make sure everything you need is within reach will eliminate a lot of wasted time.

Closed Door Policy

Make your office closed to the public. Distractions from family and friends can quickly turn a successful day into a nothing accomplished day. To avoid time wasting distractions put up a sign on the door saying that you are working and not to be disturbed.

Often family and friends assume that because you are home you are available to chat. Make sure that they all know that the home office is closed to the public.

Eliminate Non Essentials

This is especially important if your work requires the use of the Internet. Every day you are surrounded by things clamoring for your attention. When you are working these constant distractions are constantly catching part of your attention and reducing your effectiveness.

Turn off email reminders, Facebook and any other non-work related programs. Don’t play distracting music or talk radios and turn off the TV. This is a time when multitasking between IM messages and web surfing not only slows you down but actually is costing you money. Eliminate the non essential to stay focused on the task at hand.

Set Time Limits

You know how long most tasks should take to complete. Get an inexpensive timer or simply set the alarm on your watch to sound at a certain time. One method of successful time management is the Pomodoro technique.

Keep your mind sharp and be more productive by breaking your work up into 25 minute sessions with a short beak in between sessions. This approach allows you to keep your concentration sharp all during the day and to achieve higher levels of productivity as a result.

Manage Yourself Better by Being Healthy

A real productivity boost comes from eating a healthy diet and getting enough sleep. Food supplies the body with the raw materials and energy it needs to operate and constantly repair itself. Sleep is when the body gets repaired and the mind sorted out.

According to Middle Tennessee State University, high protein foods improve mental alertness and concentration. [i] During breaks, a high protein snack such as walnuts or a boiled egg can help keep your mind sharp and focused on the task at hand.