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This month I’m focusing on a common pitfall every self employed woman can relate to - finding innumerable distractions to pull you away from working your business.

I know I’m not alone in this dilemma, I hear it all the time, procrastination; lack of focus and distraction is a universal challenges for self-employed people. What’s more, for the self-employed person working from home, this treacherous trio can become a slippery slope.

Before I offer any more solutions and tips for improving focus and productivity, let’s consider what underlying issues might be at the root of your problem.

You can’t build a strong foundation on sand. Any attempt to construct supporting structures or find solutions won’t last if you haven’t paid attention to the basics.

Examples of underlying issues that can be at the root of distraction or procrastination can be:

Anything you don’t want to face or deal with regarding your business. Are sales sluggish? Are you worried about cash flow? Are you dissatisfied with your work and need to make a shift? Do you lack confidence or skills you need to accomplish your mission? Are you afraid of rejection, failing, succeeding, being too visible?

If so, you’re not alone. If you can relate to any of these questions don’t worry, they’re NOT insurmountable. What CAN be insurmountable is the daily energy drain of procrastination, lack of focus and distraction. Once you name and claim the true “problem” you have a real shot at fixing it.

What will you do to address what you discovered? You can work with these issues in a variety of ways from inner reflection to requesting outside assistance. I challenge you to commit to this.

Begin by moving through a self-evaluation to discover if you have a foundational issue at the root. If you do, don’t get discouraged or mired in it. You can address it in a way that will move you forward. As a person smarter than me once said, “denial’s not a river in Egypt” and they were right!

Your assignment for this week is to uncover and discover the sources of what makes you either procrastinate, or distract.

Here are my two final tips to help cement your new intentions and work habits into place.

Tip: Make a workday/work week schedule and stick to it. Divide your time into categories of activities such as working “in” your business (this is the actual work you do), working “on” your business (this includes the support work you do to make your business function), thinking time, lunchtime, whatever you want to include in your day.

Tip: Schedule your personal chores and errands around your work time. Resist the temptation to throw in a load of wash between work activities. Five minutes here and there can add up and before you know it you’re wondering why you didn’t get as much accomplished as you intended.

Working from home is a wonderful opportunity full of many benefits and advantages or it can be like a pebble in your shoe, a constant source of friction and frustration. You have the choice. Clear any obstacles at the root of your frustration. Make sure you take time to put supportive systems in place. I guarantee it will make the difference in your level of success and fulfillment.

Ok, now I’m off to do the laundry…just kidding.