Isn’t it funny how when you’re trying to focus to get something done, distractions appear from everywhere? The summer seems to be full of them, from the beautiful weather to the promise of fun in the sun. Who wants to work when there are so many other things that demand our attention instead?

It’s the struggle of every network marketer and business owner to stay focused and work when the distractions seem to be pounding down the door or calling to us from the window. Some give in and productivity suffers as a result. Others struggle to focus and work inefficiently as a result. What can you do to beat the distractions and stay focused all summer long?

How to eliminate distractions

Set yourself up for success

Often, without knowing it, we set ourselves up for failure and then throw our hands up in frustration when we can’t get anything done. Take a good look at your situation.

First, you know that you have to dedicate an hour a day to your business. During this hour, you’ll work through your list of customers, prospects, distributors, and follow-ups, sending messages of positivity and encouragement. Then, you’ll work on any other parts of your business that need your time and attention, including inventory, personal development, etc.

Once you know what you have to do, make a list of what’s distracting you. Is it tasks around the house? Children who demand your attention? Projects that you swore you’d get around to? The beautiful weather outside? These are all valid distractions and affect each and every person – network marketer or not – every day of the summer. You’re not alone! The key is to acknowledge the distractions and find ways to work around them.

Choose the right location

The great thing about Teamzy is you can connect with your customers, prospects, and distributors anywhere you have an internet connection. Find a nook in the house where you can work. It can be an office, a closet, or wherever you know you can get stuff done. If the house isn’t possible, perhaps the garage or shed may work better. The key is to find a spot you can claim as your own to work for an hour or less. Bring your smartphone, tablet or laptop and get to work. If you can, place a sign on the door and let your family know not to bug you unless it’s an emergency.

Fight distractions with a schedule

A schedule is not exciting, but it can prevent you from feeling overwhelmed. It also gives you more control over your day.  Set aside time each day to work on your business, whether it’s an hour chunk at once, two 30-minute periods, four 15-minute periods, etc. For many network marketers, the best time to work is in the morning before the kids wake up. In addition to getting it out of the way first thing in the morning, it allows you to have a sense of accomplishment that can set you up for success for the rest of the day. For other network marketers, it’s easier to work when the kids are entertaining themselves outside or are taking a nap in the afternoon. And others find that the evening is the best time when the household is unwinding from the day and they can get a few moments of peace. 

When’s the best time for you? Once you figure it out, create a schedule, and stick to it. Sure, there may be days that you have to adjust it; however, try to stick to it as much as possible. You’ll find you’re more productive and effective for both the people in your network and your family in your household. 

Have a system

So much time is wasted trying to figure out who to contact each day. Who should you message? Who needs a follow-up? Who was it that said they had a potential customer you should get in touch with? 

A system takes away all the guesswork so you can focus on the tasks that drive your business. You don’t have to spend 30 minutes making lists, finding and organizing business cards, etc. when it’s all there for you in Teamzy. Just log into your dashboard and see who you need to contact today. Update the information of the people in your network so it’s always current. Teamzy gives you a list of customers, prospects, distributors, and follow-ups to contact each day based on how they’re sorted. You’ll contact your best people more often while ensuring that no one falls through the cracks. This allows you to work more efficiently so you can focus. 

…and make it work for you

The key part of this is to make sure the system works for you. When you rely on a proven system, you can adjust it to fit your needs.  You know you need to work on your business for an hour a day – less if you can help it. So, what can you do to make sure you get that hour of work done each day?

There’s no rule that you need to spend a full 60 minutes on your business at once. For many network marketers, especially those with children, it makes more sense to break this up into smaller chunks that fit around the kids’ schedules. This means you spend 20 minutes on your business in the morning while the kids are eating breakfast, 20 minutes during lunch, and another 20 minutes – if necessary – in the evening. The important part is that you’re taking the time to do the activities that will build your business on a daily basis.

And, what if you can’t spend a full hour a day on your business? The beauty of Teamzy is that you can do everything in an hour or less. Depending on how big and responsive your network is, 30 to 40 minutes is often more realistic for many of our network marketers. It’s about making your business a priority and making it a habit to work on it daily, despite all the distractions that may come your way. 

Make time for fun

All work and no play makes a person far less productive than they would be otherwise. Now, this doesn’t mean giving in to distractions; it means making time for fun. When do you feel the most vulnerable to distractions – is it in the morning or in the afternoon? Many people feel most distracted in the afternoon, especially in the summer months. It seems when the sunshine calls, we feel compelled to listen. If that sounds like you, don’t force yourself to work during that time. Forcing yourself to focus will only leave you feeling more frustrated. Instead, blow off some steam and have fun. Get outside and blow bubbles with the kids, go for a walk, play in the yard or the park, and get moving. In addition to giving your brain a rest, it’ll get your blood pumping. This will allow you to focus if you decide to finish your Power Hour.

Take breaks

Breaks are important to productivity so if you find you’re more efficient working in spurts, then go with it. Think of it as a reward for working so hard. For example, work through the names on your customer list, then take a break. Then, work through the names on your prospect list and take another break, and so on. If working this way means you complete your task list each day, then by all means do it. Not everyone is able to get it all done in one shot. 

Keeping distractions in check

Although you may not be able to make distractions go away, you can control the way you handle them. By setting yourself up for success, you can manage distractions with finesse. Teamzy is there to help you keep it all organized so you can deliver excellent service to your network and build a successful business. Work more efficiently so you can get it all done in less than an hour a day! Teamzy keeps you focused so you can get it all done and have fun while you’re at it. Click here to learn more.