Google to Build Next Manned Spacecraft: or How Not to Get Sidetracked

One of the biggest obstacles with my internet business is that I easily get sidetracked. Actually this applies to both of us as Wanda is an even bigger offender than I am.

I would be working on a blog post one minute and then the next minute I would be downloading yet another ebook which of course was going to make me millions.

I have no idea how I could go from writing a blog post, which of course was now half finished, to downloading and reading an ebook but I think it went something like this:

Hey, I’m typing my next blog post – this one is going to be great and get me on the front page of Digg for sure. This is going to be so good, just wait till everyone hears about Google developing their own manned spacecraft and sending Matt Cutts to the moon…

Hang on, is that the phone ringing?…no it’s the dog barking…now why would I think the phone ringing sounds like the dog barking?…wait, what was I doing? That’s right, I was writing a blog post about Matt Cutts going to the moon…Gee, I’m so lucky knowing Matt Cutts well enough that he would give me exclusive rights to this story.

Now I had better get that date right because we don’t want people turning up at Cape Canaverel on the wrong day…I had better head over to Google to do a bit of research…

I love Google, their search engine is great….so what was I researching again?…oh yeah, something to do with Google and the moon…

So I had better type in ‘when is matt cutts going to the moon alice’ and I’ll use quotes just to get a better result. Hang on, that’s not right, let’s take out ‘alice’ and try again…

Hmmm, not really what I was after…maybe I should try that without quotes….nope still nothing…but then I guess if I’m the first one to release the story then it won’t be on the internet yet…doh!…

But hang on what’s that? That Google ad looks interesing…”You too can make millions online with just one minute of work per day”…I might just click on that and see what it’s all about…

So know you can see why I would be reading an eBook instead of writing up the next biggest news story since Paris Hilton choked on her coffee.

Now this is obviously just a bit of fun but it’s not too far from the truth. It’s easy to get sidetracked when you work online. But it is not always the internet that can distract people from their online business. Outside distractions can also be a problem with family and friends taking advantage of your free time…or what they perceive to be free time…since according to them, since you are at home, you are not really working.

If you are serious about your online business then your family and friends need to realise this. If you think about it, if you were working full-time for someone else, then you wouldn’t be able to have a two hour lunch everyday, or take your kids out for the day or head off to the shops at a moments notice. You would most likely be focused on what you were told to do.

If you are home full-time and running a business then you should treat it the same way you would as if you were working for someone else. This means setting aside hours of the day to work and sticking to it regardless of what family and friends are wanting of you.

This isn’t to say that you should be a slave to your work. The whole point of working from home is that it allows you the freedom to come and go as you want without someone telling you what you should and shouldn’t do but if it becomes more about doing what you want and less about the business then there is something seriously wrong and you need to refocus.

I have been forced to stay focused for the mere fact that I literally have a short amount of time to get everything I need done. That’s not to say I am perfect by any means. I still get sidetracked but I have become more aware of it and can get back on track a lot quicker than I used to.

Here are some techniques you can use to stay focused:

1. Set up a daily task list.
This should really be done the night before or in the morning. Don’t prepare too far in advance as it becomes too easy to forget.

2. Allocate time periods to your work.
As you sit down to work allocate a period of time that you will have to perform the first task on your list. For instance, if I am going to write a blog post, I might allow myself two hours to complete it – that includes research and writing. Keep an eye on the time to ensure you are staying on track. Better yet download free alarm software to alert you when the first hour is up. This will get you back on track if you have veered off course.

3. Keep yourself away from family, friends and the phone.
Better yet get your family and friends together in the one spot and explain to them that from now on you will be running your business like a business which means while you are working, you can’t be disturbed unless it is an emergency. If you’ve got a spare room in your home then make this your personal office. If family are a constant distraction then assuming they are all old enough to look after themselves then keep your office door shut….locked if you have to.

4. Learn how to say ‘no’.
If you were working for someone else and a friend rang and asked you to go for coffee would you be able to jump up at a moments notice to go along? Most likely not, so why should it be any different for your business? Now this is okay every once in a while but if it becomes a daily occurrence or it interferes with your business then you are not staying focused. Learn to say no to family and friends.

5. Limit your time on Stumbleupon or Facebook or any of these social bookmarking/networking sites
Yes I know, I love them too but if you are going to use them, then allocate some specific time to them. This is best done at the end of the day when you are tired and just want to relax, not when you are wide awake and should be using that quality time for working on your business.

Don’t get too serious about all of this. Working from home is meant to be enjoyable, not a chore, but if you want to succeed you really need to work at it and stay focused.

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