What cat distractions while working from home are you encountering? Well, you are communicating with a client on LinkedIn messenger. The client is telling you a significant concern, and BINGO! Your kitty jumps on your keyboard, moves around, types in a bunch of garbage, then sits on the RETURN key!
…Or you are in a Zoom meeting, you are discussing a critical point with your team, about to land the climax. All of a sudden, the cat jumps in front of the camera. Suddenly, the mood that you had worked so hard to establish is shattered. Your brilliant presentation was hijacked by your feline friend. Your team is just ooohing and ahhing over your feline friend, forgetting everything you have just said!
… Or, the little critter jumps on your lap while you are working, you rub its neck, it purrs loudly. but suddenly, it changes its mind, deciding it doesn’t want to be touched, starts to hiss, and before you can get away, you have a big scratch on your cheek!
Few Cat Distractions While Working from Home
My wife and I have two Siamese cats: Lucy and Ty, whom we love dearly. They rather enjoy making our remote work life miserable by jumping on the keyboard or in front of the monitor at the most inopportune times. It’s guaranteed that when I am in a zoom meeting, one of the cats will jump in front of the monitor. The more important the meeting, the more havoc the little monster will create.
Now you may be thinking, “Why don’t you just bring the little monsters to the humane society?” Well, because we love our little friends, so that isn’t an option. But we have had to think of how to deal with the cat distractions while working from home. Here are some ideas for dealing with cat distractions:
1) Place a box near the workspace. Cats love boxes. With one nearby, the little critter will go for the box instead of your keyboard. In my case, I need two boxes because if I only had one, the two of them would be fighting all day over the box. Make the box comfortable with a blanket or pillow in it.
2) Keep treats nearby; when the cat goes for the keyboard, I throw a treat, and she goes running after it. The problem with this is it trains the kitty that if she sits on your keyboard, she gets a treat; then again, cats usually have the upper hand anyway.
3) Put the kitties in a different room with toys, a litter box, and food and shut the door. I really hate this one, but sometimes it is necessary. I only use this one when it is imperative that the cat not sit herself on my keyboard or in front of my monitor, like when I am having a coaching or discovery session with a client or prospective client. There is nothing more distracting to a meeting than having a cute little kitty cat zoom bomb your appointment.
4) Give in and play with the kitty for a few minutes. In working from home, to be efficient, one needs to take frequent breaks. I take 5-minute breaks every 25 minutes and a 15-minute to 1-hour break every hour. I take the break to play with my critters for a few minutes. The kitties love to play, and all they really want when they are sitting on the keyboard is your love and attention. Taking a few minutes to play with them can not only give them that love but elevate your spirits as well.
5) This is a great one that a friend told me about. Get a keyboard drawer. With my keyboard drawer, there is no longer any space for the little kitty to jump up on the keyboard. This has saved me much time and grief in cat distractions while working from home.
I trust that these tips are helpful to you in being a remote worker/cat owner (both are full time jobs!) in dealing with cat distractions, but what about some of the other distractions that prevent you from fully realizing your dream?
The answer is to call Dr. Get in Focus; he can show you! To set up your free appointment, also check Top Courses by Jeff Levine
Dr. Get in Focus works with businesses, entrepreneurs, and remote workers to get in focus and skyrocket their productivity. He is here to talk to see if he can help with you ADHD Entrepreneur Balance.