coaching those who work from home

the fabulous kristen havens pointed out to me in a message today that coaching work might benefit those of us who live and work in the same place: home. being in that category along with her, i have learned what it is like to be in this unique position and what it takes to feel -and actually be- productive.

the top five things i think can be compromised while working at home are as follows:

• clarity: when am i working, when am i not? what tasks are considered work and what do i have to stop doing at the end of my "workday"?
• separation: a subset of clarity, but it is really hard to relax and sleep well in a bedroom that is also your office. ditto for romantic dinners at home with your partner when your workload is hovering in your line of gazing into each others' eyes. or trying to, that is.
• a clear conscience: when i worked in an office, i never felt bad about relaxing at home. now that i work there, i feel bad returning calls to friends, taking a nap, anything that makes me feel that i am not putting in a "real" work day. it is a big deal to use coaching to define what your best workday looks like.
• avoiding stir-craziness: it is really important to get out of the house. most people have daydreams about being able to stay home and work in pjs, but once you actually have, it becomes clear that socializing with others and seeing scenery other than your hallway is really important. this should be part of your work plan also.
• motivation: for those who get lulled into a half doze by being at home, the problem is the opposite: instead of having trouble turning themselves off at the end of a reasonable period of work, some people have trouble getting started and can putter all day. a ritual that clearly says to your brain, "ok- it's work time now," can be just the ticket.

to learn more, set up a free 30 min consult with me. every client is different, and it is important to respect the culture that is you as a plan and method of support is laid out.

Comments

[marketingtips]

Your writing made me to think on how to work at home by having a clear conscience,avoiding stir-craziness,separation,motivation and clarity on what we doing.
Thanks for sharing.

[caroline]

thanks so much for your thoughts. if there are more topics that would be helpful to hear about, please don't hesitate to make requests!