When you’re the boss, sometimes it’s hard to get things done. You’ll only disappoint yourself, right? Nobody will know—you’ll catch up tomorrow.

And, when you work from home, the laundry, the kids, the dog, the phone, the flower bed, the neighbor, the cute UPS guy, are all right there to give you that legitimate excuse for not getting your to-do’s done.

An occasional interruption, the off-day when you just aren’t into it, an award-winning crazy Monday—these things happen no matter where you work, or for whom. However, you must keep them to a bare minimum if you are to succeed in running your own business. They are like a virus, and will wreck your entire program if you let them!

So, how can you make sure you don’t succumb to what I call the Tasmanian Devil Syndrome (always moving, never getting anywhere)?

1—Each day when you finish your work for the day, review what you accomplished—actually write it down. The black & white record will reinforce a sense of pride and help you in planning. Plus, it is a great way to remember what you did and when you did it.

2—Make a To-Do list before you leave work for the next day. You can refine it the next morning, but while uncompleted projects are still on your mind, write them down.

3—Review your To-Do List each morning. Pick three or four things that are Must-Do’s and start with them. Highlight them. Work on these one at a time until they are complete. Then move to the next one. Repeat until you are done.

4—Stop multi-tasking. Just don’t do it. If you are writing a proposal, write the proposal. Don’t stop and check your email, call your buddy, fix a snack or let the dog out. Write the proposal, then take a break and do those other things. If you have to answer the phone, handle the call then make a note of what you need to do, and get back to the proposal. If you stop and mail a brochure, make another phone call, etc., the proposal will not write itself, and you will keep getting side-tracked.

5—Set deadlines and schedules. It’s good to have policies, even if they are just for you, otherwise work just keeps growing beyond all reason. Tiny projects can take months if you don’t have a deadline. If you want to put out a weekly email newsletter, then pick a day and send it out that day. You can send it early, but don’t miss the deadline. If you want to send invoices every Monday, then send them every Monday and when Monday comes, send the invoices before you do anything else.

These tips will help you stay focused during the day so that your time doesn’t simply evaporate. Good planning & evaluation of your time, focused work efforts, and establishing a system of deadlines and schedules will help you achieve your goals more quickly and easily.