A child is crying, your husband just walked in the door, dinner is on the stove, and you’re trying to find a free limb to hold your business management text book. Shouldn’t there be a road map to studying sans distractions? We think so too.

When it comes to absorbing material, cranking out a paper or finishing your latest homework assignment, a little quiet in the house goes a long way. So how do you get there? Check out our list:

• Designate study time — Set aside an hour a day when everyone (family, friends, etc.) knows you’re hitting the books without interruptions.
• Turn it off — The TV, your cell phone and the radio. You’ll be amazed how much more you get done.
• Don’t tempt yourself — Close your e-mail and keep your magazine in the other room. Eliminate your favorite outlets for procrastination.
• Set a goal for yourself — Take a look at the clock and set a goal for yourself. Thirty pages of reading in 45 minutes? It will fly by when you become dedicated to your work.
• Identify your study space — it might be the kitchen table or it might be the small desk in the attic. Whatever it is, make sure you have a study or work space to go to. You’ll be training yourself to work hard while in that environment, and your family will know to give you some quiet when you’re there.