The view from my office window!
I’m in my third week of working from home now, so I thought I’d tell you what it’s like. I have worked from home before, of course, but that was before the time of video conferencing and other technical advances! The way people react when I tell them I’m home based, tells me that many have no idea what it’s really like.
Of course, “what it’s like” differs depending on what kind of work you do and also your personal preferences. I know some artists who don’t have any “work hours” at all, and others who need a schedule in order to produce anything. Therefore, please don’t take anything I say here as set in stone.
“Cool! You can work in your pyjamas!”
Err, no. I work with video conferencing a lot and so I need to be presentable at least from the waist up! But apart from that, my recommendation would be to dress for work in any case. It’s one way of showing yourself that you are serious about this, you are not lounging about at home and doing some work whenever you feel like it. Professional dress makes for a professional attitude.
“So you might be sitting at your kitchen table with your laptop…”
No, again. I have an office with a work computer and am required to close the door and have no noise or distractions around me. It doesn’t matter if it’s the daytime job or my Coaching; concentration and focus are important.
“Having no commute must be amazing!”
It is. It’s the best part of working from home. Compared to my previous job, I save two hours for the commute alone, EVERY SINGLE DAY. It’s great! I use this time to take up my beloved walks again, get some exercise, and spend more time with my budgies. When I’m done working, I switch off the computer and walk to the other room, and bam, there’s my free time. I looooove it!
“Don’t you miss your colleagues?”
Nope. I talk to them just like I would if we were sharing the same office. However, being at home leaves me more time to do what I really want to do, and see who I really want to see, outside of work hours.
“Are your work hours flexible?”
Yes and no. My j.o.b. has fixed hours, and as for my Coaching, I SET fixed hours. Thinking that you’ll “do something in the evening” is naïve; it just won’t happen that way. So just like I schedule the actual sessions with my clients, I schedule my business work. It’s the way to get things done, at least for me!
So this is it. I haven’t even touched on the bonus of watching the cats play in the field behind the house, and the crows and magpies in their daily routine, or popping in to say hello to the budgies during breaks. The time with them is so precious, especially with my Talion. He’s holding up well so far but sooner or later the gastric yeast is going to kill him. I’m enjoying every minute with him, talking to him, watching him sleep, feeling his silky feathers when he’s on my hand eating millet… It’s such a privilege.
I meant to write about the Equinox and establishing a routine of rituals and other practice here, but I think I’ll do that another time. In the meantime, I hope you are enjoying early autumn! Many blessings from me.