Avoiding Distractions While Working At Home

If you've worked from home for more than a few days, you may have discovered it can be a little (OK, a LOT) distracting. How do you work from home, do the things you need to do for your business, and still occasionally find time to slip in taking a bath? Give this a try.

1. Create a workspace. Are there file folders in your kitchen? How about your car? While it's true that people work from home in part to have the complete freedom to do what they want, it's equally true that we can waste hours a day looking for things. One way to combat this is to....

Create a place for your work related items to live, and leave them there.

2. Create a work time. Set a realistic starting and ending time for your workday and stick to it. When you work at home it's all too easy to have your work expand to fit the time available. "Just one more email" we say. But that one more email can turn into a 45 minute email answering session before you know it.

We all have natural rhythms to how we work. Some are 'morning people' [You know who you are!] ;) while others don't get a good start until noon. No matter your rhythm, find it and take advantage of your peak hours. Rule two ....

Choose times that work best for you.

3. Use blocks of time. If family and friends intrude on your work, gently, but firmly, make it known that during certain hours you aren't available ... except for emergencies. Let me emphasize that, while work is important, people must come first. The last thing to do now is to become trapped by arbitrary rules. That said, use this special time to focus on important tasks. The third step is ....

Use blocks of time to focus on important tasks.

4. Relax. You work at home in part because you enjoy the freedom. If you want to go outside on a beautiful day, feel free. For many home workers this is the payoff that inspired them to work at home. Give yourself permission to be happy. After all, this is the only life you are going to get! Concept 4 for home office success ....

Enjoy your life or change it.

Working from home can be great. But you still need to WORK. Be aware of distractions. Make a list of them and work on solving them one at a time.

Oh ... and leave the TV off during work hours. ;)

Eva Gregory, master coach, speaker and author of The Feel Good Guide To Prosperity has instructed thousands on the Laws of Attraction in person, on the radio and in dozens of teleconference training seminars and programs. She is the author of several books and e-books and has co-developed several telephone-based and internet-based training courses on the Laws of Attraction. Her most popular program to date is her Leading Edge Living One Year Success Program. Eva is regularly featured on radio and in the media and is a recognized authority on the Laws of Attraction. To learn more about her products and services, visit Leading Edge Coaching.

NOTE: You’re welcome to “reprint” this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the “about the author” info at the end), and you send a copy of your reprint to eva@coacheva.com.

Farewell To Friends, Celebrate Your Friendships

If you’re a Friends fan, or even if you’re not, you know that the first-run episodes have come to an end. No longer will we be able to look forward to the new antics of Chandler, Joey, Monica, Phoebe, Rachel and Ross, but due to the magic of syndication these friends will continue to delight or annoy us (depending on your preference) for many years to come. What made the show such a hit? Perhaps it was the camaraderie and pure caring that shown through all of the episodes, regardless of the plot. What is your perception of your friendships?

Who do you call when you break up with a boy/girlfriend, get a new job, announce an impending birth, or just need to vent? I’ll even wager that your favorite friends are even on speed dial or voice dial too! Friendship is a huge part of everyday existence. What do you do to nurture these relationships? Do you let your friends know just how much they mean to you? Do you send them cards, always make time for them no matter what, or do they know that they can always count on you? Typically it’s unspoken, but it never hurts to actually tell them how much they really mean to you.

Krista and Faith had been friends since their wild college days. Ten years after graduation and with over 1,200 miles between them, there is no doubt in their minds who their best friend is. They communicate at least once weekly via e-mail or telephone calls, schedule time every couple of years for face-to-face visits, have never missed a major event in each other’s lives, and are more like sisters despite the distance. Gene and Trevor met at their first full-time job five years ago. Neither was brimming with confidence when they began their careers, but no one ever knew it. Instead they’d discuss their close calls, insecurities, and successes together after work over pizza. They no longer work for the same company, but they still get together once a week to trade stories, call each other during the workday to bounce strategies off each other, and Gene has been asked to be Trevor’s best man when he gets married in five months.

Good friendships are mutual, honest, fuel inner fires, provide support, and typically make you feel good. Unfortunately there are friendships that do not fit this description. Like every other area of your life, if a friendship doesn’t make you feel good, why participate in it? So if you have a toxic friendship, let it go. You’ll both be better off for it, as what you resist persists. Recognizing and accepting the situation for what it is, and having the strength to make a break, will pave the way for more positive interactions for both of you.

They say the Friends pilot was based on the fact that when you’re young and single in the City your friends are your family, and that was how Friends came to be. In truth, good friends travel with you on your journey through life - even when you may live thousands of miles apart. While spouses, children, in-laws, etc. may show up on the scene, a good friend is always along for the ride, always a part of your family, and always with you in spirit. Even if you haven't talked in months, the conversation picks up as if you'd just spoken the day before without a beat! Friendship like almost everything else in life is based on perception, but it is acts of friendship that tell the truest picture of all. Let your friends know that you’ll be there for them ‘cause they’re there for you too - in every possible way!

Eva Gregory, master coach, speaker and author of The Feel Good Guide To Prosperity has instructed thousands on the Laws of Attraction in person, on the radio and in dozens of teleconference training seminars and programs. She is the author of several books and e-books and has co-developed several telephone-based and internet-based training courses on the Laws of Attraction. Her most popular program to date is her Leading Edge Living One Year Success Program. Eva is regularly featured on radio and in the media and is a recognized authority on the Laws of Attraction. To learn more about her products and services, visit Leading Edge Coaching.

NOTE: You’re welcome to “reprint” this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the “about the author” info at the end), and you send a copy of your reprint to eva@coacheva.com.

A Whole New Outlook In An Instant

Ever meet someone who is always chipper, always has a kind word to say, can be sick in bed but still wears a smile. Why? What makes two people look at the same situation and observe two completely different things? Is it perception or something deeper?

Individuals who are happy and can always find the positive in a situation are masters of a skill that everyone should learn. They’ve mastered the art of flipping the switch on their perspective. They’ve learned that life is simply a perspective and just how good or bad it seems is dependent on their take on the situation. Literally that life can be changed in a snap. And that it’s necessary to turn down all of the negative talk that’s going on, and focus on the positive flip side that can be silenced by the sheer volume of the negativity. There’s always an opposite. The goal to having positive energy in life is to be able to recognize when negativity is surfacing and squash it like a bug.

It’s a lesson Gina learned just in time. Gina was in the midst of planning her wedding and was waging war with the wedding planner on yet another detail, when she noticed her groom laughing with one of the assistants. When Randy and the assistant spied Gina coming their way, they immediately stopped laughing. Gina was not having fun and could only focus on all of things still outstanding. Randy on the other hand was relaxed and relieved because he realized that hiring a wedding planner was the best use of their funds. While they still had to be consulted, they were not responsible for remembering every detail, organizing every vendor, and keeping track of the wedding schedule or the budget. Randy was enjoying his role in the planning process, but Gina was clearly flustered. On the way to dinner Gina blew up at Randy for not taking things seriously enough. Randy remarked that they were paying someone quite well in order for them not to have to stress so much about the “little stuff”, but Gina was fuming. Early the next morning Gina sat down with her planner and voiced her frustration. The planner remarked that Gina needed to look at the situation differently. She needed to focus on everything they had accomplished, instead of what was to come. In addition, she also remarked that Gina should appreciate that she did not have to0 worry about the details, because the details were her job and focus on the task of being the beautiful bride. Gina didn’t know how she’d done it, but her planner made her feel so much better. The planner didn’t know it but she had just made the wedding a lot less stressful for everyone involved. Gina was more relaxed, the planner had a much less hands-on bride, and Randy was able to go with the flow.

Like Gina found out, sometimes it takes help to switch a perspective, but whether it’s done on your own or with a little outside help, the outcome is well worth the effort. Sometimes it just takes a little practice, or you may even require a role model. So don’t be afraid to emulate someone who just seems to have a handle on optimistic, but keep the following joke in mind:

Worried that their son was too optimistic, the parents of a little boy took him to a psychiatrist. Trying to dampen the boy’s spirits, the psychiatrist showed him to a room piled high with nothing but horse manure. Yet, instead of displaying distaste, the little boy clambered to the top of the pile, dropped to all fours, and began digging.

“What do you think you’re doing?” the psychiatrist asked.

“With all this manure,” the little boy replied, beaming, “there must be a pony in here somewhere.”

Go on, get on out there and get ready to change the quality of your life in an instant. All if takes is a flip. And maybe a shovel?

Eva Gregory, master coach, speaker and author of The Feel Good Guide To Prosperity has instructed thousands on the Laws of Attraction in person, on the radio and in dozens of teleconference training seminars and programs. She is the author of several books and e-books and has co-developed several telephone-based and internet-based training courses on the Laws of Attraction. Her most popular program to date is her Leading Edge Living One Year Success Program. Eva is regularly featured on radio and in the media and is a recognized authority on the Laws of Attraction. To learn more about her products and services, visit Leading Edge Coaching.


NOTE: You’re welcome to “reprint” this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the “about the author” info at the end), and you send a copy of your reprint to eva@coacheva.com.

Do Everything-On Purpose!

Talk seems to be plentiful about "getting real" and "keeping it real" these says. But what exactly does that mean? One of the definitions of the word real is "being or occurring in fact or actuality; not imaginary or ideal." So basically, the talk is about dealing with what actually exists and not putting a happy spin on things. While it is definitely a good idea to know what is going on around you, being real is not the complete solution. Striving for your ideal, your passion, and your purpose -- is. Comprehension of the present situation helps lay the foundation for the ideas that follow, but your present is just that. Dreams are imaginary until you've put action and purpose to them to make them become realities. A goal is nothing more than that until it has been achieved.

How many instances can you recall of people who made incredible contributions to society based upon their acknowledgement of their reality, and their fierce dedication to the pursuit of their passion and desire to change said reality? They weren't afraid to stray from conventions and follow their own course. Think of something on a smaller scale, like Sadie Hawkins Day. Granted this day was created in the comic strips, but it was such a novel idea that it caught on in real life more than half a century ago. It was a huge thing for a female to ask a male out on a date. The creation of such a day alleviated the stigma and made it perfectly fine for a girl to ask a boy out. Think of the possible ripple-effects of such an esteem-building event. Women feeling free enough to take more of an active role. Think of how many lives have been shaped by something that was not real, but an idea conjured up by a writer. On a larger scale, look at the United States. This country was founded by people willing to break free of the norm, willing to embrace their passion and create a new reality. Our forefathers were definitely not lacking in purpose.

Your dreams may not have as widespread an impact, but they are just as important. Aren't you worth having a life full of purpose and rich with passion? No one should be stuck in reality, unable to allow yourself to each beyond your present towards a future full of passion and purpose. Take a lesson from someone you admire. Very few people reach their desired goal without first dreaming of how to get there. Even if your dream seems farfetched, never be afraid to step outside of the box. Real need not be a path on the straight and narrow, but a journey to destinations only you can chart.

Take some time in the coming month to review where you've traveled and determine if or how it differs from where you want to be. Remember it all starts with you. What are your dreams and goals? Explore them, learn them, list them, and make them real too. You can achieve reality, but only if you're real and honest enough with yourself to determine what it is you really feel passionate about. Just have fun with it and remember to keep it purposeful.

Eva Gregory, master coach, speaker and author of The Feel Good Guide To Prosperity has instructed thousands on the Laws of Attraction in person, on the radio and in dozens of teleconference training seminars and programs. She is the author of several books and e-books and has co-developed several telephone-based and internet-based training courses on the Laws of Attraction. Her most popular program to date is her Leading Edge Living One Year Success Program. Eva is regularly featured on radio and in the media and is a recognized authority on the Laws of Attraction. To learn more about her products and services, visit Leading Edge Coaching.



NOTE: You’re welcome to “reprint” this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the “about the author” info at the end), and you send a copy of your reprint to eva@coacheva.com