Types of Distractions You Can't Control

In virtually any line of work, you have distractions that you must overcome.  An entrepreneur will especially have distractions that he/she will have to overcome.  Some of these distractions are ones that you cannot control, but still must find a way to overcome them.

For instance, if you have a family, especially with children, you cannot directly control what they do with their time.  Sure, as a parent, you can set ground rules on what they can or cannot do, but like anyone with free will, they can choose what they want to do, including not following the rules.  

This means that they can make noise, such as playing loud music, and other distractions that can hinder your concentration and focus on your work.  Additionally, there may be times when your spouse wants to run the vacuum cleaner or other equipment to clean the house; obviously, you have to take time to keep your house clean and tidy, and this often involves noise.  

So, what as an entrepreneur who works from home can do?  Well, you can talk to your family about how important a quiet environment is to your work and find a way for all to be satisfied with the arrangements you set up regarding work and noise.  In addition, you can use earbuds or cotton balls to help cut out the noise that is made and that is unavoidable.

If you have pets, they may also make noise to where earbuds or cotton balls can help to cut out the noise as well.  Additionally, it may be wise to keep them out of your work area if possible, then spend some time with them on your work breaks and when you are not working.  

Other distractions that are out of your control include neighbors working in the yard (such as cutting their lawn, trimming hedges, etc.) and your landline phone ringing.  In both cases, using earbuds or cotton balls can do much to reduce the noise and keep your concentration level high on your work.  If you use an answering machine on your landline phone, you may wish to turn the volume down or even to mute so that you don’t hear any messages that are left on your answering machine.

Some distractions you can’t directly control, but you can find ways to overcome them.  Whether it’s talking to your spouse and/or children about the importance of a quiet environment, keeping pets out of your work area, and using earbuds or cotton balls to help reduce or eliminate noise you can’t avoid, even distractions you can’t control can be overcome so you can keep your focus on your work and produce the highest-quality work in the shortest time possible.