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Tips to Avoid Frustration

- At night I write a list of the things I need to do the following day. I divide a sheet of paper in columns (I prefer to use paper and pen, but you can write on your computer if this is better for you), each with a different heading: work, shopping, kid's agenda, etc.

- In the morning, I go through my list, prioritize the items and enter them in my agenda. I cross out items as I complete each task. I developed a trick to avoid frustration whenever I realize that the day is over and I have not completed all the listed items: in the agenda for that specific day, I only enter those items that I am sure I can accomplish that day. Those tasks I am sure I will not be able to complete are entered in a generic "to do" list and will be dealt with on another day.

- I check my email at specific times: 9:00 am-1:00 pm-5:00 pm and definitely avoid any attempt at having a peep at it outside my scheduled "email check times".

- I check my Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn accounts only from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm. The same rule I strongly abide to for my email also applies in this case: no peeping at social networks outside allowed times.

- I work only until 3:00 pm: this is the time my eldest child comes back home from school. When my first child was born I decided that I would never consider or treat her as something secondary in my life and that all the time I would spend with her would always be just for her and for nothing else. So the rule still applies: from 3:00 pm I'm just for my children. Everything else can be put off until tomorrow. If I have a very tight deadline, I may work at night, once my children are asleep or, alternatively, I wake up very early in the morning. And I am very happy I made this choice: my relationship with my children is very special!

- One last tip: I only answer my business phone and I check who is calling. All private calls are returned during my breaks or after dinner time. They can be a very dangerous distraction. Working from home is a privilege, but it requires discipline. And discipline requires practice.

Paola Devescovi

Artist, entrepreneur, linguist, ecommerce enthusiast and blogger. http://www.italianartanddesign.com [http://italianartanddesign.blogspot.com/]http://italianartanddesign.blogspot.com

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