| We all know how glorious those first warm days of | | | | practical goals. Having that list you can check off is a |
| spring feel. The trees are blooming, the birds are | | | | really handy way to be efficient. It's sort of like being in |
| singing... boy, it's sure hard to keep your head out of | | | | the grocery store when you aren't in the mood to go |
| the clouds when the skies are blue and the sun's | | | | shopping! Write down the things you need to |
| shining brightly.But if you're outside enjoying the warm | | | | accomplish and set a completion date (or time) for |
| weather... who's running your business?Spring fever is | | | | each task. Set small goals over the course of a work |
| a notorious distractor for those of us trying to earn a | | | | week, and bigger goals over a span of a month or |
| living on our own. There's no stern manager telling us | | | | two. Refer back to your list frequently, and don't forget |
| we'd better hurry back from lunch. There's no one to | | | | to reward yourself for your accomplishments. You'll |
| stop us from cutting out early and cruising down to the | | | | soon come to realize: goal-setting really helps keep |
| local outdoor restaurant, slipping on our jogging shoes | | | | you on track!5. Designate a time to check email. How |
| and heading off to the park, or venturing over to the | | | | many times have you set your mind to a task only to |
| mall for a reckless afternoon of shopping for spring | | | | find you've lost an entire hour because you made the |
| fashions. So with no Big Brother to scold us, how can | | | | mistake of checking email? Email is by far the biggest |
| a freelancer keep springtime distractors from affecting | | | | time waster, especially when the weather is warm and |
| productivity? Here are seven tips.1. Shift your schedule | | | | everyone's preoccupied with frivolity. Don't give in to |
| forward or back a couple of hours. If you normally sit | | | | the temptation! Instead, designate two or three hours |
| down to work at 9 a.m., try getting up a couple of | | | | of your day to checking and responding to emails as |
| hours earlier. You can wind down at about 3 p.m. and | | | | well as deleting old ones that take up space in your |
| have the afternoon/evening for yourself. Or, if you're | | | | mailbox. And NO, that forward your Aunt Millie sent |
| not a morning person, ease into your day with some | | | | does not count as a work-related email!6. Take it |
| mindless activities; spend some time out of doors. | | | | outside. Who says you have to sit in a dark room |
| Settle down to business at about 11 a.m. and work | | | | staring at the monitor for 9 hours straight? If the |
| through to 7 pm. While you're doing this, remember all | | | | weather is balmy, why not enjoy it while at the same |
| those poor nine-to-fivers who can't enjoy such a | | | | time keeping busy! Print out your documents, grab a |
| flexible schedule!2. Break up your work day into | | | | beach chair and choose a nice, quiet spot where you |
| sections. Feeling blocked, and/or restless? Don't fight it. | | | | can work quietly and enjoy the warm sunshine. Don't |
| Sitting there for hours trying to get things accomplished | | | | forget a paperweight of some kind in case the wind |
| when you just can't concentrate is only going to make | | | | picks up!7. Do some spring cleaning. Sometimes, the |
| the problem worse. Spend a couple of hours doing | | | | best way to rid your mind of clutter is to rid your |
| work, and then if you need to, take some time out to | | | | workspace of clutter. Grab the paper shredder, go |
| clear your head. Chances are, when you return, you'll | | | | through those old dusty files and clear away all that |
| be primed for productivity. And don't forget that | | | | needless paperwork you'll never use again. Organize |
| sometimes the greatest ideas are born when the sun | | | | your office so that everything you need is within reach, |
| goes down!3. Take a vacation. Sometimes you just | | | | such as paper clips, folders, pens, pads; and of course, |
| have to give your body what it's asking for: a rest! If | | | | your Springline stapler. Junk those useless computer |
| work is overwhelming you to the point that you just | | | | files littering your computer desktop. Take a trip to |
| want to get in your car and drive away, then maybe | | | | Staples for a Rolodex and some stacking file holders. |
| that's what you should do. Even just a few days | | | | Once you're done reorganizing, you can finally get |
| away from the computer will do wonders for your | | | | down to business!Copyright 2005 Dina Giolitto. All rights |
| mind, body and spirit. Take a long weekend for a | | | | reserved.Liked this article? Have more of the same |
| scenic retreat. You'll be amazed at how much better | | | | emailed to your inbox each month. Sign up for the |
| you feel when you get back!4. Start setting goals on | | | | Copywriting and Marketing Ezine from Dina at and |
| paper. If you aren't doing this already, the spring | | | | learn to write search engine friendly web copy and |
| season is a great time to get into the habit of setting | | | | market your web based business for free. |