“To be happy at home is the ultimate result of all ambition.” ~ Samuel Johnson

It’s Monday morning, and you’re chomping at the bit to get your week going. You’re looking at your weekly calendar and downing a cup of joe before heading into the office when you hear it. The whooshing, splashity hiss emanating from your laundry room sounds like the Titanic’s hull has just been breached. You take a quick look, and the blessed water heater has sprung a leak. There’s enough water on the floor to fill a kiddie pool. Thanks, Monday, you’ve just hijacked a carefully planned week.

Every office has someone that’s constantly on the phone dealing with household issues. Is that drama monarch a top performer? I’d wager not. Nothing throws a rock in the punch bowl like problems at home. A chaotic household always spills into your professional world limiting the energy you can expend at work. Then you’ll spend your time at home catching up on work, which means household issues go unchecked. This vicious cycle will continue until you reroute the loop. You CAN reroute the loop!

Start by utilizing your professional abilities at home. Catalog your home assets like a project manager would by evaluating each piece of equipment’s usable life, scheduling a time for replacements or periodic maintenance, and sticking to the timetable. Set boundaries with those acquaintances who always seem to call you at the wrong times for advice. Create a family calendar so you can plan around school or interpersonal events. Whatever your positive action steps are, the goal should be to clear away personal detractors while at work. You owe it to your employer (or your business), and you owe it to your career to leave your personal distractions at the door. When you’ve taken care of that, it’s time to storm the castle!

Consider this …

1. What personal distractions tend to get in the way of your work?

2. What steps can you take to anticipate and manage those distractions outside of work hours?

3. What are some of your biggest time wasters at work, and how can you better manage those?

For more, check out The Top Performer’s Field Guide, The Innovator’s Field Guide, or visit www.JeffStandridge.com.

(Originally published in The Top Performer’s Field Guide.)