When you work from home, distractions loom everywhere. These diversions can easily knock us off track, sabotaging productivity. Watch out for the most common diversions and use these tactics to fend them off

Distraction: The kitchen

As you struggle with a tough work project, you manage to eat six cheese sticks, five biscuits, a pot of yoghurt and one leftover piece of birthday cake. And you never knew you were capable of drinking so much coffee!

Prevention:

Bring healthy treats into your work space to discourage frequent and fattening trips to the fridge. Crunchy cut-up veggies, whole-grain crackers and dried fruits help satisfy cravings when you're in the mood to munch.

As for beverages, water is healthiest and easiest to bring into your office. But if you can't work without several cups of coffee or tea, stick to decaf or herbal teas , and bring a thermos into your office so you don't have to venture near the kitchen and its temptations.

Distraction: Your kids

You started working at home to spend more time with them, but you're finding it difficult to squeeze in any productive work time. Even when you do manage to convince kids that, 'Mummy needs to work now,' the interruptions are endless. You usually end up abandoning all business tasks until the kids are in bed and then pull an all-nighter trying to get everything done.

Prevention:

Set a work schedule and consider getting some child care. A regular work routine helps you set boundaries between work and family life, so that you can block out the time you want to spend with your children and keep it separate and sacred. And having some part-time child care will allow you to work uninterrupted while the kids are well supervised. Soon, your kids will learn to respect your work hours, and you'll have plenty of planned times where you can play with them guilt-free.

Distraction: Calls and visits during work time

You're at your desk when the phone rings and a telesales cold-caller monopolises your time with her pitch. Then, the door bell rings, and it's the stay-at-home mum from down the road, who thought this would be a good time to stop by for coffee.

Prevention:

Learn to say no. It's the key to guarding your work and family time. Have polite phrases at the ready to deter people from zapping your work time. For example, next time a telephone salesman calls, try saying something like: 'Thank you, but I'm not interested. Oops, I have another call coming in,' and hang up.

Tell the other mum: 'I'm sorry, but today's a work day and I really must get back to my desk. Let's get together when I'm off duty.' And if drop-in guests become a continuing problem, you may have to simply ignore the door bell. (We know work-from-homers who avoid parking their cars in front of the house, so neighbours won't know they're home!).

Distraction: Housework

You're supposed to be making cold calls, but instead you've done three loads of washing, cleaned out the kids' cupboards and washed every window in the house.

Prevention:

Tackle housework during non-work hours. But more importantly, get out of the 'super mum' mindset! Who says you have to do everything yourself? Enlist family members to help with household chores.

Even young kids can help load the dishwasher or sort clothes for the laundry. Older children can be responsible for clearing the dinner table, taking out the rubbish and collecting recyclables. Also, talk with your spouse about sharing household chores, and designate the ones each of you will be responsible for.

Distraction: The skiving urge

You should be working at your desk, but you'd really rather be tinkering in the garden, lounging at the beach or strolling round the local department store for bargains. Before you know it, you're out the door, with stacks of unfinished work projects left behind.

Prevention:

Hang 'Not Now, I'm Working' signs, in tempting areas to nudge you back to your desk. If gardening is your downfall, tack one of the signs to your gardening gloves or tape one to the steering wheel of your car to keep you from heading the beach or shops.

Also, make sure that you promise to reward yourself for jobs well done! You'll have much more incentive to finish work tasks if you know that a bunch of flowers, sea breezes or a new blouse is awaiting you upon completion!