5 things home workers can learn from Poldark

So did you watch it? The last episode last night?

Ever since I saw Ross Poldark working at his accounts at the kitchen table and then brooding over them in bed, I’ve been compelled to keep watching.

Purely to catch other instances of historical home working, of course.

The first series of the handsome captain and his red-haired wife may be over, but perhaps we can still draw some inspiration from the dramatic lives of the Poldarks:

1. Don’t stay at home for too long on your own. We all need to have a gallop along the cliff top from time to time. Get out of your home office regularly, even if your route lacks the scenic splendour of the Cornish coast. Best to do it before a blazing sunset though or you might be struck in mid-afternoon by the dreaded cabin fever.

2. Keep going till you find the copper. When things get tough or inspiration deserts you, it’s all too easy to get distracted by housework, impromptu snacks or unnecessary but more enjoyable jobs. Better to keep hacking at the rock face (with breaks, of course, as above) and soon you’ll hit that rich seam.

3. Don’t try and do it all alone. Ross Poldark joins forces with other mine owners to protect copper prices from the greedy Warleggans. Gather around you a group of other home workers with shared experience and concerns and you’ll all benefit from the company and moral support. A local Jelly is a less risky enterprise than a smelting company and requires much less capital.

4. Don’t hesitate to take advantage of sudden opportunities. It’s unlikely you’re going to spot a wreck in the locality, but a sunny day during the week when everyone else is at work can offer rich spoils in the form of renewed energy and inspiration. Creativity and ideas are more forthcoming in a liminal space, so don’t regard an afternoon in the park as wasted time.

5. When the going gets tough, get your top off. Well, maybe not literally, your cat or the other people in the coworking space might not be as impressed as the womenfolk of the UK have been by Captain Poldark’s pecs. Better perhaps to stick to a little metaphorical rolling up of sleeves.

Anyone had any sneaky rewatches on iPlayer over a coffee yet? Roll on series 2.