Procrastination is fun, isn’t it? A stroll out on to the deck with a fresh cup of coffee. A “quick” stop into the playroom to see the kids as you pass down the hallway on the way to the bathroom. Those seemingly short breaks might actually do you good if that’s all they were; short breaks. However, when the your procrastinator side kicks in, a 5 to 10 minute break can turn into an hour and twenty minutes of play time.

When you have an unlimited number of tasks to do (being a work at home mom doens’t really ever come to a stop), it’s understandable that stopping to play with the kids is enticing. However, in order to make your business flourish, you will have to learn to recognize when your slip into procrastination mode and figure out ways to quickly get back to work mode.

Here are a couple examples of signs to look for and what to do to counter any  temptations.

• Heavy Sighs
  If you get into the habit of looking at your desk, or task list and follow up with a heavy sigh, then chances are that you are slipping into procrastination mode and are only one or two breaths away. Downtime is definitely a part of success, but you need to clearly define work and play time. A good thing to do is take a solid break in between bigger tasks or projects. So, when one is finished, go for a walk with the kids to the park for an hour or two. Not only will you be separating work from play, but you will actually enjoy the break more knowing that you are not scrambling to get porject number 1 finished when you get back.  You need balance.
• Noisy Distractions Lure You Away
  If your work space is in an area of the home that is close enough to the main living area, you may often hear laughter, bangs, or several other family noises that make you feel compelled to leave your work to investigate.  You’ll have to do whatever you can to discipline yourself from this as not only does it physically take you away from work, but mentally it’s hard to be productive while you’re working. If you can’t block the noise with a door, or move your office, then try other solutions like playing classical music at a very low volume.  Whatever you do, find a way to stay separated while you need to be productive.

Working from home has so many advantages, but sometimes those same benefits can become the obstacles to your productivity. All the great thing like your kids being in the next room, your favorite couch being 3 feet away, your availability to watch your favorite show midday, and more, can be temptations that are easy for anyone to give into at first. But, that’s ok. It only takes a few minor changes and a tiny bit of discipline to get in the habit of being productive daily without giving in to temptation.

Define Your Workspace

The first thing you have to do is realize that you’re running a real business and it needs an office. Now, that doesn’t mean that you even need your own room at first if there’s not enough space in your house, but you will need a spot to call your own that is specifically for work. If that’s the corner of your kitchen, or the back of the garage, that’s fine. The point is that your workspace is defined.

Filing System

A filing system is the core of your business organization, especially when it comes to the finances.
Create a detailed file system in a cabinet with folders and sub folders just like you would on a computer. Save all your receipts and make sure you have a folder for every type of cost/expense that exists in your business. This way, you can get into the habit of dropping it from your pocket into the appropriate folder as soon as you get it.

Be sure to limit those that you print out manually though. Emails often don’t need to be printed and you’ll have enough space filling up with contracts, receipts, etc. as it is.

Speaking of your computer, a filing system for your computer can be done manually with today’s amazing operating systems, but you may want to check out some third party applications for to-do lists and tasks. There are som great ones out there and some are been based online like ToodleDo.com (but private of course).

Keep Your Desk Clear Too!

If your business has a lot of in and out documents that can’t be condensed by doing it all electronically, then be sure to have a clear tray on your desk that is specifically for those tasks and files.

An office can get disorganized easily in general, but in the comfort of your own home, sometimes you get a little too at ease and settle into a mess by mistake. Enjoy the fact that you’re working at home, but still remember that it’s a business that needs to be guided with a clear vision and organization

When you walk through any aisle at  your local office supply store, you’re likely to be quickly overwhelmed by an enormous amount of gadgets, gizmos, software, and other tools that promise to help keep your business organized. Unfortunately, many of them produce the opposite effect once you get home and start trying to figure out how to actually put them into practice.  Keeping your home office easy to manage often takes nothing more than the simple tried and true basic methods of organization. The great thing about that is that they’re also inexpensive in comparison.

When you’re a work at home mom, you get the benefit of saving money of child care but you also have to spend money on your business if you want to run it properly and prepare it to grow and be successful. So, although you don’t need every new gadget under the sun, you will need a couple basic requirements to keep things running smoothly.

What you’re going to need is calendars and planners.

Ideally, you’re going to grab two calendars. One is going to be a calendar on steroids that you can use for the whole family, and not the one quarter page size that comes free in your mailbox with your local real estate agent’s face on every page.

The family style calendar will come with a section for every family member to update their appointments and activities. The kitchen is a perfect place for this one, since it’s the hub of the whole family in the sense that everyone goes through there at least a few times a day.

The second calendar will be for your own work schedule (which you should also sync with your family calendar as far as your time schedule for working hours) and you will keep this in your office. You can always choose to use an online or desktop calendar as well for tasks, but writing things down still seems to work well for most humans and helps to remember tasks.

Sounds good so far, right? Now add a planner to the mix, and you’ll be all-powerful.

When you’re choosing a planner, it’s important to take your time and choose one with features you actually need. many will have a lot of extras that may not apply to your business. If that’s the case those features can actually get in the way and work against your organization.

If you’re just starting your business from home, be sure to get these items and make it a priority to organize. It really can make the difference of success or failure. Your kids may think you’re old fashioned for using calendars and planners, but there’s a good reason they still sell like hot cakes to Moms and Dads.