I don't know about you but I find it really difficult to keep focused and my time management skills are not great.
I have set some space aside in my house to work but I still find myself gravitating to the kitchen, the kettle and the fridge.
So what do we do to keep focused? I have tried to find some techniques to help.
One thing I have found that works is to break up my day into small tasks.
Sometimes its difficult to get them small enough and it gets easier the more you do it but it does feel good as you tick each task off the list.
Another thing to think about is to keep away from people who may be negative about what you are trying to achieve.
I believe that I am doing the right thing and whilst trying to make money on the internet is harder than I thought, I enjoy it, it's a challenge.
Most people stay in their comfort zone and they think that allows them to consider what you might be trying to achieve as bonkers and therefore not achievable.
You cannot allow them to disrupt you.
It's not their fault; most people are happier staying as they are.
We don't all have to be like that.
Talking about comfort zones, try and keep out of yours.
It's much easier to join mates for a coffee or a beer, then you get relaxed (or drunk!) and you can simply forget about your goals and just go into a state of limbo.
It's nice but you aren't going to achieve anything.
If you can avoid that comfort zone (and I know it's hard) it could mean that are taking risks, exploring uncharted waters and getting to where you want to be.
On the other hand, you do need to relax sometime.
You will not achieve anything if you are bored or stressed.
Make time to relax and recharge I find that if I am getting completely bogged down in something, it's better to leave it alone for a while, go out for a walk perhaps, move around.
If you get a new perspective on things you may find out that once you come back to it and look at it with fresh eyes you may see something that you missed first time.
On a subconscious level it may be that the mind is still working out the problem but now it has time to mull things over.
You have heard the phrase, a watched kettle never boils.
It's true, it takes ages, doesn't it? Walk away and forget about it, do something else and in no time at the kettle has boiled.
Find a new perspective and you may see something different.
This will help you to refocus and move towards your goal.
At the end of the week, tick off what you have achieved.
As I have got better at this, I find that I am achieving more.
As I tick things off my list on a daily and weekly basis, it's a great boost.
Write down everything you have done and anything you want to do and go over it.
Use something rather than scraps of paper as I have done.
Unless you are super organized (and I'm not) you will keep on losing the paper or scribbling other things on it.
I am now using a redundant office diary.
As long as I use the days on it rather than the dates, I don't get too confused! I find this helps me to keep focused and see the bigger picture and ensures that most days I get something done.
Keep going.
I have heard this so many times but it is true.
It's sometimes really difficult if you are bogged down in something you can't quite get to grips with, but if you don't keep going you will never achieve.
I have spent the best part of a day trying to get my emails to work on my website and I still haven't cracked it but I will because I have to move on.
I have been told on more than one occasion that when you are closest to giving up you are nearest to achieving the goal.
It doesn't always seem like that but if you quit, you never get there...