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Original poster

Calling work-from-home-mums: how do you focus?

29 replies

expatkat · 27/04/2005 13:41

I supposed this question applies to mums who work outside the home, too.

How do you force yourself to focus on your work? I'm having a slightly rough time with personal life at the moment, and there are too many thoughts running through my head that keep me from spending more than 5 minutes on the task at hand. I've always been a little prone to procrastination, but this is ridiculous, and I'm 3 weeks late with a piece that probably won't even go into the mag at this point. (And I'm also behind with 2 other BIG projects.) Any practical tips? I'm desperate.

OP posts:
anorak · 27/04/2005 13:45

I know, kat. I have the same problem. I get the most work done when the computer is broken. Sad eh? I hardly ever need to use computer for work - if I did I can't imagine how I would resist mumsnet and silly games every 5 minutes.

Caligula · 27/04/2005 13:50

I don't know EPK - my first tip is to keep off Mumsnet and not go into it at all. I usually crack by about lunchtime.

The other thing is to schedule regular breaks so that you feel justified taking them - one hour on this task, then take a break and do the laundry, then come back and do task b.

This is all theory, I haven't yet managed to put any of it into practice!

Will be watching this thread with interest!

miranda2 · 27/04/2005 13:51

I know, I'm rubbish - a real procrastinator. But if I really really have to do something, I find giving myself lots of very small mini deadlines with breaks helps. Eg, I will write 200 words (not worry about the quality for now, easier to splurge first then edit later), then put a load of washing in. Then I will write another 100 words and then have a cup of tea. Then I will write 200 words and then phone and pay that gas bill. Then...etc etc. Got me through my phd (500 words a day for a year....) and still useful now for sermons, book reviews etc! Hth.

strugstu · 27/04/2005 13:51

hi expatkat,
have just read an article by raj persuad about procrastination, and why many of us do it,nothing heavy but was worth a read. just google 'procrastination' (uk) u could add 'practical tips' as well may narrow search down, and u will find it (sorry am crap at links!!)HTH

SenoraPostrophe · 27/04/2005 13:53

I have this problem too sometimes.

I find clearing a space of time helps - for me it needs to be at least two hours, and once I actually get started I find I can knuckle down quite easily. I allow myself a couple of breaks to make a cup of tea, and one longer break in the day to visit mumsnet.

I suppose what i'm really saying is "just get on with it". Sorry if that's not very helpful!

Original poster
expatkat · 27/04/2005 13:54

Thanks, everyone. . .off to write 200 words and then I'll be back to check to see if there are any more tips. (anorak, you're right, the computer is a killer procrastinating tool!)

OP posts:
SenoraPostrophe · 28/04/2005 20:07

did you get the 200 words done, expatkat?

Gobbledigook · 28/04/2005 20:11

I don't really have any tips but I too find it very hard to focus - the fact is though, I have tight deadlines, there is no option of being late (if I was I'd never get work again and I need the money) and I've very little time to do it in (kids naps, evenings, weekends if necessary) so I just have no choice but to get on with it.

I try and not log on to Mumsnet so don't connect to the internet but it never lasts long as the work can get quite tedious and I need to keep breaking off!!

Gobbledigook · 28/04/2005 20:13

Is your computer away from all other distractions? I've got a separate office and from here I can only see the garden - I can't see any washing, dirty dishes, toys...if I could, I'd never get on with work because the mess would be calling me!!! Just thinking if you are maybe on a laptop in the kitchen or something that might make it much harder. A designated 'work space' might be better if possible.

Fran1 · 28/04/2005 20:32

I have such little time to get work done, that i have to focus!

DD goes to pre-school two mornings a week for 2 1/2 hours, i race home after dropping her off make a cup of tea and then straight to my desk and try and trawl thru as much paperwork/phonecalls as i can as i know i have to!

The rest of my work gets done if and when dd naps or is happy playing alone, and mainly of an evening when shes in bed.

wordsmith · 28/04/2005 22:33

EPK and all the other work at home mums - it's such a relief to know I'm not the only one. Your first post could have been written by me. The trouble I have is that, unless I specifically need to interview someone on the phone or go to a meeting, the work I do could be done at any time of the day or night. And because of this, I tend to put it off in favour of really interesting tasks like filling and emptying the tumble drier. And Mumsnet... well that's become a really big distraction. Wish I'd never discovered the darned thing (wll, only partly wish...)

I started working from home 2 years before I had my first child and even then I had trouble focusing. Now with kids its even harder because there is less time to work and more peripheral stuff (if you can call your DCs peripheral) to think about.

I suppose the only positive comment I could make is that, if you're anything like me, you produce your best work under pressure and at the last minute. I generally write very quickly and my best copy has come when I really have so little time to reconsider that I just go with the first gut instinct words. I discovered this about 20 years ago when I was doing my 1st year essay submissions at college. I did my politics essay the night before the deadline, at 2am after an evening in the pub and thought it was bound to be failed. It came back a week later with an A+ grade!

ggglimpopo · 28/04/2005 22:49

Message withdrawn

tiddlypom · 28/04/2005 22:53

I'm like Miranda2 - I make a list of micro-tasks then tick them off when done and take a break.

I've had to lower my expectations about how much I can get done, because after 3pm I'm working full on looking after the kids and it was nonsense snapping at them after stressing myself out during the day. Now I take it fairly easy during the day and I do load the washing machine etc during breaks.

lemonice · 28/04/2005 22:53

I'm sometimes able to do it and other times not. I think giving yourself very short deadlines is the way if you can't focus. eg. if you're writing, like others have said just something then the next deadline is an edit plus another edit and some free writing and so on until it's OK. But if you find what you are doing is quite boring then it is really hard to focus. I was lucky today for example someone asked me to find 110,000 little padlocks enough of a task to energise me! It may well come to nothing but it's more contacts and an interesting experience.
Day to day though I think you just have to do the prioritise and do process and I cn tell you thatI'm useless..mind you I never planned to have teenagers and the grandson to babysit while working.

Demented · 28/04/2005 23:07

I don't have masses of work to do in a week (although the last few weeks it has been pretty constant but this is unusual), most of my work has a Wednesday evening deadline on it and I aim to at least start on the Monday (I don't generally have the information I need for the week to start any sooner) and try to finish by the Tuesday afternoon even if that means working on a bit on the Monday evening after the kids are in bed. For me that biggest motivator is having my DH (who also works from home) as my boss, I am a born procrastinator whereas he is very motivated and would be less than impressed if I left it to the last minute!

ggglimpopo · 29/04/2005 08:41

Message withdrawn

Original poster
expatkat · 01/05/2005 04:38

Thanks again, everyone. I'm relieved to say I finished the piece only this morning, after a mammoth struggle above & beyond the usual. I tried lots of things, but the one thing that helped most was to take the laptop out of the flat & do my writing at a local cafe. It's harder to procrastinate in public.

And a big bollocking from my editor helped, too.

Anyway, thanks for the support.

OP posts:
Gobbledigook · 01/05/2005 08:26

Wordsmith -I find I work better under pressure too. Like you said, there is less time to keep going over it and you often find that if you decide to just chuck down what comes first, it's actually really good! I also discovered this at uni when I used to panic about work I did the night before a deadline only to find I'd usually get a 1st for these!!

JoolsToo · 01/05/2005 08:34

hey gdg - I'm up!

Gobbledigook · 01/05/2005 08:35

Blimey!

ggglimpopo · 01/05/2005 08:42

Message withdrawn

bobbybob · 01/05/2005 08:46

I'm lucky, but because the work I do is time based - I'm a music teacher, I just have to work at certain times.

Housework and doing my books I have 2 hours per week when ds is at nursery and I don't have pupils. Some weeks I just can't be bothered and others I am a human dynamo. I catch up in the school holidays when I don't have as many pupils.

I have a room in the house that nobody except me goes into and I only go into it to work. I find that helps me because once in it - I have to work - there is simply nothing else to do in there. I know that most people don't have this luxury.

Gobbledigook · 01/05/2005 08:49

ggg - yes, I think my eyes are starting to suffer too actually as I'm finding myself constantly squinting at the screen.

Really got to get on with some work now!

Original poster
expatkat · 02/05/2005 14:19

Thanks for additional tips, everyone. Wish I could EVER be a "human dynamo," bob.

Gggself-doubt thing NOT ON. I've read your stuff and you MUST know how good you are. I wish I weren't so bl**dy swamped myself (my collection is due to the publisher todayYEAH RIGHT) or I'd read your later chaps and prove to you how good they are!

OP posts:
Kibby · 02/05/2005 14:55

I write from home too and some days are easier thna others; i find I go through spells of faffing about and doing bugger all and then other times when I work really well. I did read a thing by writer lesley garner about the 20 minute rule and that's really helped me- just tell yourself you'll work only for twenty minutes at a time, which is very manageable and then break off but mire often than not by that time you're quite well into it.

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