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Most days I work from my home office. But as of late, my house is on the market and that means a million showings and during those times I have to leave my house. It can be quite intrusive if you aren’t prepared. After getting used to it and coming up with a plan, I am now dealing with it rather well. Below are some tips I’ve picked up along the way.
Working on the Go
Utilizing wireless internet means I can work from anywhere. Depending on the day I either work at the library or visit my favorite Starbucks. I have a netbook and laptop – the work I have planned for that day will determine which one I use. My T-Mobile BlackBerry helps on the days that I don’t want to work but keep up with what is going on – whether it’s emails, Twitter or my blog comments.
I have a laptop bag that is ready to go at all times with the items I need to work out of the home. I typically just need to grab a few papers that I might be working on but I am otherwise ready to go. I’m still one of those people that carries around notepads and pens (Sharpie, anyone!) I work online so much that there are days I need to disconnect and write down my thoughts to get focused.
The items I have in my bag include headphones so that everyone doesn’t need to hear what I am listening too – whether it’s a video by my favorite vlogger or music. I’m as sociable as the next person but I don’t want to hear what you are doing and as such I don’t want you to hear what I am doing – it’s disturbs my train of thought. And, I really just don’t care what you are doing.
I also keep a mouse in my bag because I tend to work faster and better with one. I find that using my track pad is often annoying for me because I do a lot of writing and my hand hits the track pad and the page scrolls. It’s very annoying.
Fully charge your laptop or netbook before leaving the house. Finding a free outlet isn’t always an easy task. I’ve often forgotten to do so and find myself frustrated which in turn means I wasn’t very productive with my work. When people take their laptops to the bookstore and coffee shop, like you they are planning to stay a while, plan in advance.
Organization is the key to staying on task and running your personal life and business life together in a smooth manner. Whether you use your BlackBerry or a regular day planner you need to keep track of your appointments and project details. Without proper organization you are setting yourself up to fail. And, yes, I am talking from experience. I’ve learned this lesson more than once and each time was more unpleasant then the next.
I often find that when I am away from my regular environment I am the most creative. I have a notepad with me at all times to jot down new site ideas or when I remember something I have to get done that I may have forgotten.
Make a habit of backing up your work when you get home. There are a couple times over the last decade that I have lost EVERYTHING and it wasn’t pretty. Once it’s gone, its gone. So, when you return home make a habit of backing up any important information you were working on and would be devastate to lose.
Rinse and repeat, for the past few weeks leaving my home for chunks of time has become a habit. Some days I enjoy the outing and other days not so much. But I can’t allow these situations to interrupt my productivity. For you it may be that your child is only in pre-k for three hours and it may not be worth the trip back home. Whatever your reason is, work smart and plan ahead or you will soon find yourself very frustrated.
Chrissie Cole is a freelance writer for various blogs, including Speedy Incorporation, which helps new small business owners incorporate online as well as offering advice and information about running their business successfully via their small business blog.