Become a productive work-from-home entrepreneur
The biggest productivity hack no one talks about is the best-kept secret to creating work/life harmony. And it's something you do unconsciously every day. The truth is, your mind will flood your consciousness with irrelevant thoughts. Let's be honest, if you didn't think about organizing your pantry over the last five days, then it probably means you can save that project for the weekend. So here's the secret: the discipline of productivity is simply getting really good at ignoring things.
Getting really good at ignoring things means allowing yourself to move past those I-need-to-do-that-right-now thoughts and focus on what's important right now because giving in to your impulses dilutes your focused energy. Here's what I mean.
As I'm writing this blog post, the thoughts that come up are, "I need to fold the laundry I threw in the dryer this morning." "I wonder what Amanda posted on Instagram today." "I have a feeling someone responded to my post on The Society Forum."
If I gave into my impulses, then all of those thoughts would cause me to stop writing to fold my laundry, fall into the abyss we call Instagram, and open a new tab to check our private forum. But I won't become the best version of myself by giving in to these impulses. Writing this blog post, however, will.
How do you improve your impulse control as a work-from-home entrepreneur?
Here are three daily practices you can implement today that will transform you into a focused entrepreneur.
Get it on the calendar.
I don't have a maid, and my mom stopped doing my laundry when I was 16. So just like you, I need to take care of my household duties. When you work from home, it's a challenge to ignore the dirty dishes in the sink and the stinky gym socks on the laundry room floor. But, great news! It'll still be there two hours from now. No one is going to burst through the door and say, "pick up that sock!" So instead, schedule in blocks of time the night before to build your empire and clean the castle. When you get it on the calendar in advance, you're giving yourself a permission slip to let go of the urge to clean. Do this every day, and you'll become a proficient planner with clean socks!
Practice daily mindfulness
I'm no superhero. And yes, when I'm reading The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks for our Society book club next to a pile of unfolded laundry, I think about it -- "It will just take 5 mins." "That shirt is getting wrinkled." "What if someone walks in and sees me. They'll think I'm a slob." My armpits get sweaty, and my heart starts to race. But after years of perfecting ignoring things, it got easier to let go of these unproductive thoughts over time. By practicing mindfulness, you realize that these physical responses are because of the made-up inner dialogue. Mindfulness is the realization that this physical reaction is triggered by my thoughts. So when this happens, and if you plan things ahead of time, you can remind yourself that folding the clothes is on the calendar. But right now, I'm scheduled to read. So read!
See it through
Easier said than done. Trust me, I know. When I first started implementing this in my life, I would just sit and stare at the laundry, doing my best to resist the urge. But the only way you can get everything done productively and efficiently is to get really good at ignoring stuff. As you develop self-restraint, allow yourself to sit and stair. Yes, it feels weird having an internal struggle about cleanliness, but see it through! Productivity isn't about having more time in the day; it's about getting really good at planning your days, directing your energy where it needs to be, and seeing it through with focused energy.
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