Work-at-home life: Five things you NEED to know about yourself
1. Know your internal clock:
I know I’m at my best in the morning (that’s why I get up so early to work on my novel), so I try to schedule as much writing before lunch as possible.
I know I always, always, always feel sleepy and distracted in the afternoon, so that’s a better time for me to do my phone interviews. I can’t procrastinate them or drag them out — they’re real people! — and it doesn’t matter if I’m alert or sleep, my typing is just as quick.
I also know that I’m TERRIBLE at working after the kids are in bed, although I have to do it sometimes. It takes me much longer so it doesn’t make financial sense to do this unless absolutely necessary. My friend K who works at home, though? She excels at night. We’re all different.
2. Know your exit cues:
Since a freelancer’s work is never done, it sometimes feels like there’s not a “clean break” to step out of your work mode. There’s no 5 p.m. closing time or crowd of colleagues all walking out together to make you feel like you’ve done a good day’s work and now it’s over — it’s just you, feeling like you haven’t done enough and maybe you should work tonight after the kids are in bed? Probably?
For me, I hate, hate HATE leaving a story when it’s 90 per cent done. It kills me when I absolutely have to walk away at that point because of a bus pick-up or an appointment, because it’s ALMOST DONE. But if I can finish and file a story, it feels like a natural quitting point for the “work session” (since it may or may not be an actual full work-day).
I also won’t feel “done” working unless my inbox is under control. I use Inbox Zero so everything needs to be pinned for later or snoozed until another point in the future. Ideally, I finish work with the happy spinning sun that means I have ZERO emails in my inbox (hence the name), but that doesn’t always happen.
3. Know your quick fixes:
If I’m feeling like a zombie, there are a couple of things I can try to snap myself out of it so I can get back to focusing:
- Chug half a bottle of water (I’m probably thirsty)
- Pop a Lifesaver Wint-o-Green mint thingy in my mouth (they give me a boost)
- Go make a snack
- Fold a load of laundry, clean up the kitchen quickly, etc. for a mental break
- Spend a few minutes cleaning up my office/craft room (which is always messy)
- Literally RUN up and down the stairs a couple of times or run on the spot (I do this in front of a mirror and face a different direction every 60 seconds to mix things up, ha.)
4. Know your triggers:
5. Know your quirks:
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Heather's Handmade Life 