August 24, 2007
Meanwhile, back in the real world …
Having wasted several days goofing off, I find myself playing Friday catch-up. The laundry is going, the dishes are done and now the office awaits. There’s a teetering pile of filing on the corner of my desk, threatening to bury my mouse pad. The books are at least a week behind. Checks remain un-opened and un-deposited. My date book is a shambles with inspection orders crammed between pages instead of being neatly penciled in.
Having a home office is a mixed blessing. I’m working in my jammies at half-past noon. That’s a big plus, but it blurs the line between business and pleasure. When I’m in pajamas I feel like it’s okay to take frequent breaks to visit with my message board friends or sort through the new batch of email forwards from a cousin. By the same token, when the weekend comes and I can give myself permission to ignore work, I can’t do it because it’s always *right there* reminding me that there are things to be done. It’s a routine I’ve tried to balance for over seven years and I’m still not very good at it. How do you separate work and private life when they are so intertwined? If you have the answer I’d love to hear it. My computer is a work tool and a toy, so it’s hard to focus on one appliction without the other intruding. Should I get a second one and put it in another room, so that I can clearly define my intent at any given time? I don’t think such mind games work very well for me. I would know they were both mine, and probably find myself working on reports in the living room while watching TV or checking my blog from the office computer rather than going down the hall to do it. Leasing a commercial space for my office might do the trick, but I’m a small business and that’s a ridiculously expensive way to address what, in actuality should be addressed by bettering my organizational skills. And the problem with that is that I’m an old dog, resistent to learning new tricks.
So I’ve answered my own quesitons, but still would welcome your input. How do you focus on the things you need to do when the fun stuff distracts? Those of you with home offices - how do you put a meaningful division between work and everything else? Is it possible to establish organization out of chaos? I may or may not learn your tricks, but I’m eager to know what they are.
[tags]business, goofing off, home office, organizational skills[/tags]
Posted by skeet @ 1:30 pm • Just stuff, Business
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August 24th, 2007 at 6:57 pm, Linda R. Moore Says:
I’m still working on that separation. However, I do always get dressed in the morning as that puts me in a worky frame of mind. I treat myself with a bit of schmoozing between more serious tasks performed. I somehow still never seem to get around to doing accounting, though. :-/
August 25th, 2007 at 2:29 am, Adam_Y Says:
The only tip I can give you is one that I used when working on my computer from home. I had the problem that I’d keep getting up, wandering off and getting involved in other trivia;
1. Make sure you have enough music you like on your computer.
2. Plug headphones in to the computer and put them on - you’re now tethered to the machine, that should stop you wandering off too easily.
3. Make sure that the music is just loud enough to cover the distractions that you might otherwise notice.
4. Allocate a set period of time, at a specific time to do ‘other things’.
I know, not massively helpful, but it makes it slightly harder to get distracted.
August 25th, 2007 at 4:32 am, Lee Says:
Heh. If I was an expert at making it work, I wouldn’t have had the inspiration for this:
http://leesvoice.blogspot.com/2007/06/plan-vs-reality.html
August 25th, 2007 at 12:40 pm, Cynthia Blue Says:
I work from home one day a week and I can relate. I’m getting pretty good at focusing on work during that time, but when a doggie brings me a toy, it’s a good excuse to go for a play romp in the yard.
August 25th, 2007 at 2:10 pm, Mr. Fabulous Says:
I am SO the wrong person to ask. I have zero will power and self discipline when it comes to stuff like that.
I would like to work from home, but I would probably have to end up firing myself.
August 25th, 2007 at 9:02 pm, goyin Says:
On saturdays i like to get all my chores done by noon and then just take it cheesy from there on out.
August 25th, 2007 at 11:22 pm, Chamonix Says:
I’m afraid I can’t help you. My work and private sphere is as tangled as yours. Then again I save myself a two hour commute a day so the time I ‘waste’ on the internet is still time saved in the big scheme of things.
August 26th, 2007 at 5:52 pm, Whim Says:
I don’t let myself do the fun stuff until I get the work out of the way. Or at least I try.
August 26th, 2007 at 8:29 pm, skeet Says:
Adam, the headphones tethering one to the desk - that’s a good idea. I’m not sure how well it would work for me at screening distractions, though. I have to take calls during business hours, so I can’t blot out the sound of the phone. Still, I might try to find a way to incorporate that into my routine. Mahalo!
August 26th, 2007 at 8:33 pm, skeet Says:
Lee, I definitely fall onto the “reality” side of your diagram. However, I wouldn’t feel badly about “wasting” time if I could do it as creatively as you!
August 26th, 2007 at 8:39 pm, skeet Says:
Now, see, Cynthia, that’s the kind of thing I’m talking about. I allow every distraction to pull me away from work I should be doing. The dogs know this and have formed a conspiracy. They are happy to invite me to redirect my focus dozens of time a day.
August 26th, 2007 at 8:44 pm, skeet Says:
I didn’t have a problem focusing on work when I was a corporate schill, Fab, and I wouldn’t have tolerated anyone under me having the habits I have now. A home work environment is treacherous for someone as easily distracted as I’ve allowed myself to become. Maybe I should come work for you for a while and let you whip me back into shape?
August 26th, 2007 at 8:47 pm, skeet Says:
I can get myself organized that way for short periods of time, Goyin, but seem to fail at making it an overall work pattern.
August 26th, 2007 at 8:49 pm, skeet Says:
I do that, too Chamonix - I can “justify” killing time because I’m not losing time to a commute. Now if I would just stop pretending that that gives me leeway to goof off for a full eight hour day, siiiiiiiigh!
August 26th, 2007 at 8:50 pm, skeet Says:
That’s because you’re a better person than me, Whim.
August 27th, 2007 at 2:09 am, Lee Says:
Mahalo, skeet! You’re too kind! From my perspective, I think you’re much more creative than I!