Has this Coronavirus thing sent you scrambling to set up a home office? How’s that going for you? I know, it’s a love-hate thing. I’ve been doing it for over 22 years. Read on.
My Telework Story
In 1997, I stopped my daily commute into D.C. and started working from home. This was before home offices were a thing. And when the Internet was just becoming a thing. Which made my foray into the home office world just a wee bit crazy. But 22 years in and I’m here to tell you – I ain’t never going back to a regular office. (My grammar may have slipped, but my slippers and I – we’re fine.)
Opportunity and Flexibility: Home Office for the Win
A home office provides two things I’m pretty big on: opportunity and flexibility. These can vastly improve your quality of life. A home office isn’t going to force you to exercise in place of your morning commute, or choose a healthy salad over a bowl of ice cream for lunch (hypothetical example, of course). But the home office provides the opportunity and flexibility to have that more balanced and healthy life you’ve been dreaming of.
Figuring it all out takes some practice. Right now you might feel like you’re barely surviving. Between the kids and the dog and the unfortunate timing of the UPS guy, it can be tough. But you’re home. And you love home, right? Tweak things as you go. You’ve got this.
Here are a few suggestions to help you not only survive, but thrive in your new home office environment.