There's an ancient Chinese saying: If you have one clock in the room, you always know what time it is. If you have two clocks, you are never sure! If you have more than one email account, more than one calendar or more than one filing 'system', you are wasting valuable time hunting for information!

Whether you telecommute or run a business from your home like we do, there are so many ways you can find yourself pulled off track. Here are three myths and three reality checks to help you draw some boundaries around your home and office life for a more productive business week:

It's time once again to look around your work environment with fresh eyes and consider your surroundings. Do you see points of motivation and beauty? Is your desktop open and conducive to planning and writing? No matter what system you use, is your filing system working? If you can answer yes to two out of three of these questions, you are on your way to a productive, peaceful year. If you can't, consider making some changes.

 Okay, let me break the news: the holidays are a'coming! Before you get all bent out of shape, take a good look at the calendar. Believe it or not, we're on the downhill slide! But if there ever was a year when all the hoopla seems irrelevant or out of place, this is it. And that - to coin a phrase - is a good thing.