Little things matter when you work at home
Work at home? What makes your routine a pleasure?
I hope I’m not repeating myself too much when I say I’ve spotted that the things home workers consider to be work at home essentials fall into three distinct groupings. The problem is that I’m talking to people and writing all the time and sometimes end up not quite sure whether I’ve written about a topic for my blog or something else!
Anyway, I’ve checked back and seem to be on safe ground, so here goes – these three categories are technology – obviously – drinks and snacks, and personal factors, such as children, pets and wildlife or nature. When you work at home you seem to naturally develop little rituals in a way I don’t remember when I went out to work (although the last time I did that is a long time ago).
I’ve discovered I’m like many people in having favourite kitchen equipment for making and eating snacks and meals. I love the weight and grain of the olivewood board I use for slicing bagels for the toaster and wouldn’t dream of using it to slice smelly onions or staining red pepper.
I can arrange the mugs in the cupboard in chronological order according to when they were my favourite – I think regular change is vital in maintaining interest when you work at home!
I know I’ve already talked about my soapstone Buddha head, although the post seems to have mysteriously disappeared, and I like to have flowers on the window sill in front of my desk, but that gets neglected when I’m very busy.
My surroundings always come to mind when thinking of home working favourites, but when I asked A for his, he replied ‘caramel wafers, a nice tweet or a comment on my blog, finding a cartoon or video that makes me laugh’. So obviously in this, as in all else, people who work at home differ in their tastes and preferences.
What helps to oil your home working wheels? Is there a home worker out there who doesn’t have a day punctuated by tea or coffee making and little snacks?
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I have a new habit of flavoring drinking water with just a hint of a fruit or herb. A single raspberry, or a single strawberry or a few leaves of mint makes for more interest than plain water without measurable sugar or calories. We have an excellent and expensive bottled water product here called “Hint.” They thought of it first!
Sounds delish, Malcolm, I think I’m going to try that, I’m determined to up my water intake.
Working from home is a whole different ball game. When you want to eat you can cut that bagel right on the spot and put anything you want on it. In a work atmosphere you are much more limited.
Which is why I also wrote about the four food traps when you work from home, Steven!
I have lots of little rules and rituals, most of them about keeping good habits and work/home separate. As my office is in the living room of a one bed flat, and shared with another person, I have mental four walls up to stop lines blurring so much.
I have a mug I only use when ‘at work’, I use Focus Booster both for concentrating, and for separation of fun and work. The counter goes on, I’m only doing work tasks until it stops. I have plates that are work only, breakfast that I only have on work days… you get the idea.
Thanks, Rosie, I like the idea of ‘mental walls’! And I’ve never thought about work-only mugs and plates or meals before – great idea!
Hi Judy! First time her and I can relate on little things matter. I have also my favorite little stuff while working that no one allow to use.
Even my kids and hubby..