| Too many phone calls and e mails can stress out a | | | | Choose whether you will use a mobile or a land-line as |
| solo professional. Follow the practical tips in this article | | | | your main method of taking calls. Because I am mainly |
| to help get you out of overwhelm and regain control of | | | | home based, I use a land-line for my business and am |
| incoming interruptions. | | | | very sparing with who I give my mobile number to. A |
| One easy way to avoid unwanted telephone | | | | friend of mine who's a Personal Fitness trainer does |
| interruptions is to install a separate office line, leaving | | | | the opposite as she's out and about most of the time. |
| the home phone on answer phone. Of course, make | | | | Having one main phone really can reduce stress! |
| sure those who need to, know how to contact you in | | | | E-mail is probably the top distraction for home based |
| an emergency. | | | | business owners who spend a lot of time in front of |
| If you have small children, train them not to answer | | | | their computers. In an ideal world, I'd recommend |
| Mummy's office phone, or they may tell that brand | | | | checking e-mail three, or at most, four times a day. |
| new prospective client that Mummy can't come to the | | | | Apparently, each time we are interrupted in a major |
| phone right now as she's in the loo! | | | | project it can take as long as 20 minutes to get back |
| I know it's hard to do, but if you're working to a | | | | to the level of concentration and involvement we had |
| deadline you may choose to put the office phone on | | | | when we were interrupted. |
| answer machine some of the time. It can be a scary | | | | Filter your e-mail for spam and create separate |
| thought as you may worry you'll miss an important call, | | | | folders for each "stream" of e-mail. Turn off the "ping" |
| but sometimes circumstances may dictate this. Just | | | | that says there is new e-mail and set your e-mail |
| make sure you return calls within a reasonable time. | | | | preferences so that you only get e-mail on demand. |
| And why not turn off the ringer on the office phone at | | | | These two actions alone could save you hundreds of |
| the end of the day? | | | | interruptions every year. |
| When I call someone I always ask if this is a good | | | | Be very selective about any e-zines you subscribe to |
| time. Unfortunately most people don't ask this question | | | | and consider having a maximum number like a top 10. I |
| at the beginning of a call. However, you can take the | | | | used to subscribe to far too many and then worried I |
| call, get the gist and then agree a time when you will | | | | might be missing out on something as they piled up |
| call them back. Even if we do pick up the phone we | | | | unread. Cutting right back has felt really liberating. |
| don't have to get embroiled in a long call if it's not | | | | The bottom line: Remember, we are in control of |
| convenient. | | | | dealing with incoming phone calls and the e-mails that |
| Also, caller display can be a great boon. At least some | | | | are allowed into our in boxes. Use voice mail and the |
| of the time you'll have advance warning of who's | | | | delete button on your computer! |
| calling and can decide whether to pick up or not. | | | | |