Today we have a guest post from Dominique Molina. Dominique is President of the American Institute of Certified Tax Coaches, an organization of tax professionals who are trained to help their clients rescue thousands of dollars in wasted tax. In addition to her blogging and speaking engagements, Dominique provides CPA continuing education as a registered educator with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA).

Isn't working on your own fun? No boss breathing down your neck or micro managing your every move. You get the flexibility of working during your peak performance times, and taking breaks when you need them for say, surfing or kids' school activities.

While working on your own can be cost-effective and liberating, many people feel isolated and find it hard to focus. You may find yourself rushing down the hall to pop in a load of laundry which has piled up, or taking calls and meetings from everyone who thinks since you are home, you are available.

The other side of the spectrum may reveal that you are ALWAYS working. When I worked from home I found it virtually impossible to pass by my home office without stopping in "real quick" to send this email or finish that project. Suddenly I found my 40 hour work week taking 70 hours to complete; yet I was still only accomplishing 40 hours of work. Did I leave my discipline back in my corporate cubicle? I found myself constantly dreaming "if only I had more time. . ."

Since everyone has the same amount of "all the time there is" and we simply cannot have MORE time, the only solution is to more effectively use the time you do have. Choosing where to invest your time will help you get more done in less time, so that you feel you have more time to spend on the fun things. Here are 3 tips to making the most of your time so you can focus and get more done.

Tip 1: Track Your Use of Time - It is human nature to rationalize what we can't see. Tracking your time allows you to quickly see where you are losing precious minutes of each day and gives you the ability to spot the holes so you can use your time more wisely. For example, reviewing my time logs allowed me to see how much time I was wasting in traffic. Holding virtual meetings instead of physical ones created large pockets of "found time" for me to fill with something more meaningful.

Tip 2: Say NO! - When you choose to stop doing something, you free up time for something else. Identify the things that waste your time and don't help you complete your task list. Things like Facebook and online browsing hijack your time and evaporate it away into a vortex of oblivion. I find it helpful when I find myself wandering into this black hole of waste, to redirect my attention by saying to myself out loud, "NO, right now I am _____."

Tip #3: Put Your Important Things First - Consistent with the "80/20 Pareto Principal" most people waste about 80% of each day working on low level, low return activities. If this is you, consider what this pattern of behavior is costing you. You've got to plan your time for the highest value things first; otherwise they don't get done. This can be as simple as doing these tasks first thing in the morning before anything else.

It's up to you to take charge of how you invest your minutes and hours. But if you can master it using the above steps, it will feel like you CAN create more hours in a day.

Photo Credit: purplemattfish

I was the type of kid who got lost looking up a word in the dictionary. Twenty minutes after flipping the cover open, I would find myself deeply concentrating on some random page, reading entry after entry. I wouldn't even be in the right letter for the word I'd set out to look up.

Without a plan, I can get a little sidetracked, especially as a workshifter. That's probably why I'm compulsive about making lists - travel packing lists, itineraries, strategically grouped errand lists and, of course, the venerable daily task list.

Everyone has a made a list at some point. Even my non-diary-keeping, at-times-scatterbrained, ever-forgetful husband will jot down a to-do list once in a while. He's also open to accepting a to-do list from me written on his behalf (truth be told, it's entirely for my benefit), which makes up for the days/weeks/months that pass without so much as a grocery list.

I, however, keep a daily task list that often gets slightly revised, if not completely overhauled, by midday.

Opposites attract, as they say.

Regardless of what's on a task list or how frequently we keep one, we can all agree that it feels good when an item is crossed off. No matter how significant or trivial the task, our brains simply recognize an accomplishment.

We can also all agree that we experience varying levels of disappointment when we fail to get something done. Despite my devotion to planning, failure to tick an item off my list before the day's end happens to me all the time. And when I have to copy over the same tiresome tasks and projects from one day's to-do list to the next, I can feel my shoulders slump, along with my enthusiasm for the task itself.

Self-Sabotage

I readily admit that my lists aren't always reasonable. I have high expectations. It's either that or I have a keen desire to sabotage my own momentum and success. [Note to self: Add "Research therapists" to tomorrow's list.]

Lately I've experimented with an abbreviated list on the weekend. I only include items that I know I can (and actually want to) accomplish. This list is noticeably shorter than my usual fare.

There's nothing particularly grand on these lists. They are very basic. What's important is I get the satisfaction of accomplishing everything I set out to do.

Brass Tacks

I have been known to include some strange items on my lists. Back in grad school, one of my roommates caught a glimpse of something on my list that I have yet to live down. I'll leave the specifics of it to your imagination.

My lists themselves take on a variety of formats. Projects and ideas are born in a Moleskine desk diary and then expanded in notebooks or on a chalkboard. I'm especially old school when it comes to lists.

I've come to believe that lists shouldn't just be about what must get done; they should also serve as a reminder or space holder for what is valuable to an individual. For me, that's often "Take a walk," "Yoga," "Read" and sometimes the indulgent, restorative "Take a nap." I don't want the day to get away from me without taking time to engage in these recalibrating activities.

A word of caution about lists: what's meaningful to you might be downright threatening to someone else. A few months after our wedding, my husband found a post-it note on the floor of our car. It read: "Poison Chris." Being named Chris, this immediately caught his attention and he began to worry. Later that day, he warily handed the note to me and asked if there was anything we needed to talk about. I said, "Yes, actually there is. My Christmas list. I'd like Santa to bring me a bottle of perfume. You know, Poison."

What makes or breaks your list?

Photo Credit: paloetic

When I first gave up my office environment for the life of a digital nomad, one of the earliest things I noticed was how flexible my time had become. I loved my newfound freedom! However, I soon discovered that I didn't seem to be getting quite as much accomplished as I had when I was confined to a relatively controlled office environment. Fortunately, I realized my error fairly quickly. I had given up not only my office but also the structure it provided - including the structure of a regular schedule.

But all was not lost. By making one simple adjustment, I was able to get my schedule back under control and my productivity back on track.

The issue I had was that I wasn't setting my weekly schedule up for success. As much as we need to find time to meet with clients and prospects, we also need time to focus on getting deliverables out the door. My mistake was that I was scheduling meetings in a haphazard manner - as someone would request a meeting, I would fit it in wherever I saw a space on my calendar. As a result, I would find myself having to rush out to meetings almost every day of the week!

Meetings are a disruption. If you are trying to focus on work and then have to dive into a meeting, it takes you out of your flow, and it is really hard to get back to it once the meeting is adjourned. So, I started to slot days in my schedule just for meetings.

Now, when I set up meetings, I try to set a few in the same day, my Meeting Day. Regardless of whether the meetings are taking place virtually or in person, having them all together means I can just focus on the meetings that day. I know I am not going to be super productive on anything else on those days, but that is okay - I have another day in the week set aside for just focused work time, so I don't worry!

Additionally, you can use that extra time between meetings to run errands - especially the ones you have been putting off. You are out and about anyway, so you might as well get to the bank while you're at it!

This is just one simple change that you can make today that will change your productivity in a huge way. Set yourself meeting days and stick to them. When someone asks when you are available, try to slot them in on your meeting day. Then, on the days when you need to focus, you can shut off the world around you and just get stuff done.

Photo Credit: nicholasjon

As much as I love working from home, some days it can be a lonely existence. Back in my cubicle-dwelling days, if I was feeling stuck for inspiration, I could always get up, walk around, stretch my legs and meet someone at the coffee pot for a quick chat to get my head into a different space. There were lots of colleagues around to bounce ideas off of. I even worked at a high-tech firm once that had daily yoga classes - there's nothing like a good stretch to get the creative juices flowing again. 

In contrast, the home office isn't always the most inspiring place to be. We tend to hole up behind our computers for hours on end, lost in our own little digital world. And when we get stuck creatively, it can be a very frustrating place indeed. So what's a workshifter to do? Well, it turns out finding inspiration when you need it isn't so difficult. You just need to set yourself up for it. 

Surround Yourself

I think the number one way to stay inspired is to surround yourself with things you like. For me, it's color. I have colorful prints on my wall and images I love on my computer desktop. Even my office supplies are colorful - why buy boring silver paper clips when you can get fun multicolored ones? Whatever can brighten up your space helps. In those moments when you're looking for that creative spark, just sit back and look around at the things you love. You may get all the inspiration you need.

Listen to Music

Music is one of the most inspirational gifts we have. While many people like to work with a soundtrack in the background, I need mostly silence to work (especially for writing). However, when I'm feeling stuck creatively, there's nothing better than turning on some tunes. Sometimes I'll retreat to the sofa for a while with my headphones, or I'll just crank up iTunes at my desk. Keep a playlist handy of music that relaxes and motivates you - then you can always call on it when you need it. I also keep a guitar nearby, so if I'm feeling so inclined I can pick for a few minutes. Often that small musical interlude is all that's needed to rejuvenate my creative brain.

Reach Out

We're so lucky to have this wonderful online community at our fingertips! These people are our water cooler buddies - the ones we can reach out to whenever we want. Take a break, hop on Twitter and bounce some ideas around with people. If there's one thing Twitter people love to do, it's brainstorm. Even friends on Facebook are good for helping with ideas - and I find that, because my friends on Facebook tend to be people who are not in the same business I'm in, the ideas we spark are even more out of the box. Google + hangouts are also great for inspiration. Grab a circle of buddies and spend 10 minutes riffing on an idea - who knows where it will end up? When you're stuck, your community is a great place to turn to. Just remember, it works two ways - to be helped, you need to be helpful yourself - so return the favor while you're there!

Walk Away

There's no point in beating your head against the wall if the inspiration just isn't coming. Sometimes it's best to just walk away for a while and leave the lonely home office. Do some errands. Take a walk. Call your mom for a chat or have some coffee together. The world will not end if you take a few hours to yourself, so do something to give yourself that change of scenery. Before you know it, the ideas will start to flow.

Sometimes, our cup of inspiration runneth over; other times, coming up with a good idea seems impossible. If you're working on your own, it's easy to become stuck without others around to help keep your creative energy flowing.

What about you? How do you recharge when you're low on inspiration?

Photo Credit: ECKO Design Group

Technology enables us to work remotely in all sorts of places that not long ago would never have been considered suitable - bedrooms, hotels, airport lounges and so on. This has given many people the freedom to ditch the commute and live in a location of their own choosing, but it also brings its own challenges. Chief among those is the danger of being constantly "at work" when there is no clear delineation between on and off time.

Many of us who are workshifting are doing something we are passionate about. We have given up jobs that failed to fire us up in order to freelance or set up a small business that uses a talent. In my own experience, I don't feel I'm "working" in the same sense I was when I was employed; I am simply expressing myself in a way that feels natural, so working at what would traditionally be considered odd hours is not particularly a problem.

Despite this, after a while I started to feel that I could be more creative and productive if I chose my work hours more carefully and actively planned to get out of the house. I found that meeting people, and not necessarily people connected with my business, gave me a boost that never happened at my desk. I therefore pop out to meet a friend for coffee these days at whatever time suits us both.

I've come to believe that successful workshifting means creating your own schedules, regardless of the conventional 9 to 5. The most creative workshifters learn to switch on and off at any time in order to meet deadlines and - more importantly - give their brains a break and fuel their imaginations.

This ability only seems to come with experience. Most new workshifters stick to their old office patterns for a while before becoming more aware of their freedom. I'm interested in this way that work is developing and how the boundary between so-called work and leisure is blurring.

How do you mix up your time? Does it feel different from what you have done before?

Photo Credit: Andrew Huff

I have a confession to make. This time of year I tend to get distracted. I think it's the perfect weather that draws me away from my screen and towards the ocean or the first tee.

Can you relate?

The workshifting lifestyle is both a blessing and a curse when it comes to flexibility. True, you don't have to be chained to a cube breathing recycled air, but you still have responsibility to get work done.

To solve this, I've found it works best to create boxes of time in my day that are allocated with no distractions. I also leave time for getting outside or away from my laptop and phone. When I am in do-not-disturb mode, I don't check email, Twitter, blogs, Google+ or Facebook. I don't answer the phone or talk to people. I work.

This way, I can be disciplined and ultra-productive without driving myself crazy or burning out. When I take the DND sign off my desk, I'm looking to quench my everyday-is-Saturday thirst.

Timeboxing and quiet hours have been well documented. Here are a few good resources to help you stay productive:

• Pomodoro Technique
• Time Blocking
• The Interruption Tax

It may take some trial and error to find out when you are most productive and when you are most prone to distractions. I tend to work better in the mornings and late at night. A good friend of mine is the opposite - she likes to begin and end with downtime and crank through midday uninterrupted. Once you have a feel for your natural routine, set your calendar and turn yourself loose.

What are your 2 cents?

Photo Credit: lazylikewally

Distractions are one of the most common reasons people think they can never workshift. They believe that when left to their own devices - working from a home office, coffee shop or wherever - they would be far too distracted by trivialities and would never be as productive as they are when working in an office environment.

While it's true that it takes some effort to be focused and productive when the boss isn't looking over your shoulder, I think that once people get into the groove of workshifting, they actually find they are more productive.

After 6 years of being a full-time workshifter, I can tell you that I am able to finish 8 hours' worth of work in just half the time. That's how laser-focused a quiet, remote space makes me, and it's not all work and no play that allows this. In fact, I need to embrace certain distractions as I work to be so successful. I call them "healthy" distractions - things that help me overcome creative blocks, work through problems or just take a much-needed brain break.

Social Networking Isn't a Distraction - It's a Creativity Booster

Some people are going to disagree with this, and that's okay. I've read tons of blog posts about how social networking is one of the biggest distractions to "real work" there is. Instead of getting actual work done, we're goofing off on Twitter, poking around Facebook and hanging out with our Google + friends. I myself have been guilty of these pastimes on occasion.

But I do think social networks can be a great creativity boost. When I'm working, I regularly have Twitter open in the background. The message stream flows by and I usually just ignore it. But sometimes, I need to stop working and think a bit. I could either sit and stare at my screen, waiting for my muse to strike - which rarely works - or I could flip over to Twitter, where I scan through posts and click a few links. I think about something completely different for a few minutes, and often that's just what I need to snap an idea into my head.

The people I follow on social networks serve as my inspiration. It works every time.

(Note: if you're worried about getting sucked into social networks - an easy thing to do - set a timer for 10 minutes when you take your inspiration breaks. This way you'll know when it's time to get back to work.)

(Don't) Step Away from the Sofa

The lure of the sofa - I remember this affliction back when I worked in an office. The 3 PM Snoozies, I called them. They'd creep up on you mid-afternoon, and it would be hard to keep your head up. All you could think about was a little 5-minute nap and how good it would feel. But of course, you couldn't be caught sleeping at your desk, so you would grab another cup of coffee and work through it.

Now that we're working from home, the sofa is right there. It seems so soft and warm. The cat looks so comfortable sleeping peacefully in your spot. But you know what? It's okay to take breaks. It's okay to give in to the 3 PM Snoozies once in a while. So go and lie down for a few; rest your eyes if you need to.

Sometimes a 15-minute power nap is all you need to reset yourself so you can be productive the rest of the day. Don't feel guilty about it - think of it as a productivity booster. Give yourself permission to take a mini-siesta if and when you need to. That's one of the perks of working from home - so use it!

Appreciation Is the Best Healthy Distraction of All

Sometimes, I'll stop working, sit back from my desk for a few minutes and just look around me. The dog rests peacefully at my feet. I am surrounded aby photos and reminders of my loved ones. I have my work environment set up exactly the way I want it. I can look online and see so many friends and colleagues that are doing amazing things. And I'm incredibly grateful that I have the ability to choose this lifestyle, grateful for all of the opportunities that it has afforded me. And I'm appreciative of the people and the technology that supports me in this choice.

So once in a while, just stop. Give a little thanks to the people and things around you that have allowed you your workshifting life. Gratitude really is one of the best distractions there is, don't you think?

What about you? Do you have healthy distractions that help you workshift better?

Photo Credit: tomsaint

Technology has enabled the average workshifter to do what he or she does. If not for high-speed Internet, mobile devices and 24/7 electronic communications, many of us would not be living the digital nomad lifestyle that we love.

But it isn't all about tech all the time. As much as we cherish the electronic gadgets that allow us to work from anywhere, the non-tech tools we use are often just as important. Even the most technology-savvy workshifter needs a few low-tech devices in order to make working from wherever a truly pleasant experience.

Water Bottle

I cannot stress enough the importance of drinking enough water throughout the day. Most of us walk through life in a semi-dehydrated state, as we simply don't drink enough water. And when you're working on your own, it's easy to get caught up in a cycle that doesn't allow for hydration. (And no, coffee and water are not the same thing!)

It's a known fact that dehydration can contribute to sluggishness, lack of energy and loss of concentration. The simplest low-tech solution to the hydration conundrum is of course one that makes it as easy as possible to consume more water. Start by purchasing yourself a good quality, BPA-free water bottle. Fill it when you sit down to work and then refill it every time it gets empty. You'll have to take more bathroom breaks (it's okay to take breaks!) but you'll avoid that 3 PM sluggishness and feel great all day.

Accordion File

No matter how paper-less you try to be, there is always going to be a certain amount that needs to be dealt with. Lots of us still receive tons of paper receipts - not everyone is on electronic billing quite yet. Even with a slower pace, the paper will pile up.

The number one way to eliminate this stress is to file the papers when you get them. And for me, the best low-tech solution is an accordion file. It's compact, so it doesn't take up room in a small office. You can also get really small ones that fit in a purse or briefcase, so you can keep your papers organized on the road, too. Head out to your local office supply store and get yourself an accordion file today - never lose a piece of paper again!

Comfy Clothes

One of my favorite things about working from home is that I get to wear comfy clothes. I was not born to wear dresses and high heels every day - that is a fact. Many elements of my wardrobe today consist of yoga pants, pajama bottoms, t-shirts and hoodies. I make a point of buying these items when they are on sale and stocking my drawers full of soft, fluffy, stretchy clothes. You'll work better if you're comfortable, I promise. So keep an eye on those sales flyers and buy yourself some comfy new work clothes!

Ambiance

The best thing about working from home is that you have complete control over your work environment. You can hang what you want on the wall, set your desk however you like and, best of all, surround yourself with things that make you happy and relaxed.

For me, it's often candles, light incense or aromatherapy oil. I make a point of always having these on hand, and I pull them out when I need a bit of "ahhh" in my office. Even the act of lighting a few candles can take your mind off the stressful project you're working on and into a place of peace. Your home office should be a calm and productive sanctuary - so always keep some tools on hand that allow you to create that environment.

These are the ideal non-tech tools that enable my stress-free, comfortable and healthy workshifting life. What about you? Do you have some non-tech essentials in your toolkit?

Photo Credit: sherlock77

You know those days when you're hopelessly unproductive?

How do you respond? Come on. Tell the truth. Do you agonize over the research project all day hoping a "eureka" moment will break through? Do you sit there shuffling papers, reading, tweeting, or (worse) recycling lame jokes via email?

Or do you just stop?

I had one of those days recently. My to-do list was really long, but there was nothing that had to be done right away. My brain tried to focus on first one task and then another. Then I tried to tackle some low-hanging fruit. Nothing. Neurons definitely were not firing.

So I walked away.

I ran errands. Went for a walk. Took a nap.

I took the day off.

Workshifting takes discipline, but success is based on results and not time chained to a desk. Whether you work for yourself or are part of a bigger team, there's no one tracking your comings and goings. You either get stuff done or you don't. So why do we so often feel compelled to be "at work" on some variation or other of 9-to-5, Monday through Friday?

Sometimes you have to give yourself permission to take a day off.

Photo Credit: pmin00

When I gave up my bricks and mortar office 5 years ago, I underwent a significant lifestyle change. No longer was I "heading into the office" every day. I was a free bird, able to flit around at my own pace, on my own schedule, where and with whom I wanted. It was blissful for a while, having all that freedom. However, I felt as if I was always ON... always dealing with work on some level or another - whether it was taking a client phone call at 9:30 at night, or replying to emails in bed on a Sunday morning. Everything I did, even when I was supposed to be having fun and relaxing, had a continuous undercurrent of work in the background. The result of this feeling of work pecking at me all the time was STRESS, and lots of it. Before I knew it, the bliss I'd felt at not being chained to an office gave way to the anxiety of not having boundaries between work and play.

I learned the hard way that there's a better way to work when your office is anywhere.

There's something to be said for 9 to 5.

Okay, well maybe not 9 to 5 exactly, because having totally regimented work hours would kind of defeat the purpose of having the freedom that workshifting allows. But, making a distinction between "I'm working now," and "I'm not working now," is definitely beneficial.

Your work schedule doesn't have to be consecutive. Maybe you want to work from 6am to 9am, then take a break till noon, then work again from noon to 2pm, nap till 4, and work again from 5 to 8. See, it's up to you. That's the beauty of this lifestyle. You get to set it up. But it's important that you set it up, every day. The best thing to do is put it in your calendar. Block off the chunks of time when you need to work, and something interesting will happen. In between you'll see gaps on your calendar. I call these gaps "Inches of Time." These inches are your own - time when you don't have work or other commitments. It's time just for you, to focus on a labor of love project, blogging, learning something new, reading, or just... doing nothing.

Make your schedule each day and stick to it (I sometimes use a timer to tell me when it's break time). You'll find that the routine of making a schedule makes you shut off when you need to.

Have a morning routine.

Human beings are creatures of habit, just like the rest of the animal kingdom. So when you don't adopt good habits, you can easily get out of rhythm. If you just jump up every day and dive into whatever gets thrown at you (say, the emails in your inbox or a bad story on the news), it can spin you off in totally the wrong direction. That's why a morning routine is important. Here's the one I've been following with great success.

• 6:00am: Wake up. (I try to wake without an alarm as much as possible, letting my body tell me when it's had enough rest.) Drink coffee in bed and read (not the news, not Twitter, but an actual book).
• 6:30am: Check in on the web (read articles, blogs, Twitter, Facebook, etc. - NOT news or emails).
• 7:00am: Take the dog for a run (and me for a good walk).
• 8:00am: Have breakfast and coffee #2.
• 8:30am: Shower and get dressed.
• 9:00am: Check emails and get to work.

Now, I don't have kids to feed, dress or get to school in the morning, so I have a bit more flexibility in how I do things. You need to come up with what works for you. But some important things in my routine that set me up for the day are:

• I eat breakfast. ALWAYS.
  
  
• I get out with the dog. This is a new thing for me, as our dog was recently introduced to the wonders of off-leash dog parks. But the time I spend in nature every morning now really clears my mind and sets me up for a good day. Not to mention I'm now walking an hour a day. My pants are looser already!
  
  
• I read every morning, even if it's just for 1/2 an hour. This could be any book - business, fiction, non-fiction, self-help - but it's not the Internet, it's an actual book. That is time for me, every day, to enjoy something and get inspired by new ideas.

The point is, having a morning routine is critical to being more effective in all things. Think of your morning routine as the set-up for your day - the one thing in your day that you get to have total control over, because as we know the rest of our days can be anything but controlled sometimes.

Even when you workshift, routine is important. If you're feeling stressed or overwhelmed by all of the flexibility your days now afford, consider how you might start to rein that freedom in by settings some boundaries of time and activities.

Photo Credit: jailman