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Boost Organization and Productivity
There are more people every day who decide to build a business from home because they realize that working from nine to five in the office doesn’t leave them much room for personal time.
There are also people who can’t afford to go to the office every day because they need to keep the household clean, refrigerator full and kids healthy and satisfied.
We call them Moms.
Struggling between growing families and trying to build a successful business they need a superhero schedule just to keep up.
If you recognized yourself in this category, we have a few tips to help you catch your breath.
All work and no play makes . . .
Although it’s a quote from Kubrick’s ‛The Shining’ it’s not nearly as serious as it sounds, but it does include some writing and closed space.
It’s not a novel, but some might say it’s even more complicated – a schedule. Instead of outlining plot points, situations, and characters, you need to outline naps, meals, school times, errands and work.
The fact that you don’t go to office doesn’t mean you don’t have to set up office hours.
The only difference is that you set up a number of hours you hope to work during the day.
Especially if you have a baby with its ‛eat, play, sleep’ routine which is never very punctual.
So it’s not about working hard but working smart.
Remember, everything that’s written gets done. A great start to Boost Organization and Productivity.
Power Boost
Like in every superhero story, there is always a time when your powers are at its peak.
You need to figure out when is that time for you during the day when you feel most productive.
Is it in the morning, after lunch or perhaps you’re more like a night bird.
If you can’t detect that burst of energy that means you have to recharge, and fast.
We all know how it’s hard to get a proper sleep with having little kids, and we also know that sometimes you must stay awake at night to finish the leftovers of your work.
But if you make it an everyday thing eventually you’ll exhaust yourself completely and maybe even get sick, losing much more time than you were trying to save up.
If you don’t stay healthy it is impossible to Boost Organization and Productivity.
Me – Mother, You – Businesswoman
No, it’s not about the personality disorder, but about setting the boundaries.
We all think of us as capable of multitasking, but being a mum or a businesswoman is not a small and simple task.
If you don’t separate these two you’ll never be able to fully concentrate on either of the roles and according to that, your effectiveness will never reach its maximum.
The best trick to separate these roles is to dress for the part.
Try to dress as if you’re going to the office during your working hours on the schedule, and spend your ‛homey’ part of the day in something casual, like pajamas.
If you think an office suit is too much, taking the shower and putting on clean clothes might do the job as well.
Lost in the Playground
Although you’re in your home, it’s still a place where you do your job.
Working from home offers you an opportunity for real comfort, but your working space should never be too casual because that way your productivity is at the stake.
When you work you need to mentally separate yourself from the rest of the house, which means you have to set up your private area which will serve you as an office.
We don’t need to mention it needs to be a kid-free zone, where you can’t see dirty rompers in the hamper and get an impulse to launder them.
It also helps if you have a door to close.
It’s not enough just to set up physical boundaries of your working space but your home office needs organization and makeover so you can use the best of your abilities and increase your performance.
And the good news is that you can design it just the way you want.
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X marks the spot
First of all, you have to carefully examine your home and find the spot that suits you. It’s not always a good idea to follow the logic, because not every free space is adequate to become your office.
Some people like big naked walls, others like open spaces with a view.
The most important thing for your performance is the atmosphere of the space because it will determine the way you feel. Turning to Feng shui might not be a bad idea.
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Make way
When you have kids it’s not an easy job to find a space that’s completely free from their toys and gadgets.
And when you combine that with your office equipment, you get a room where it’s impossible to breathe, not to talk about walking.
You need to have free space, but on the other hand, you really need the equipment and you can’t throughout their toys (god forbid!).
You can always find the right solution in a wide range of super cheap storage offers that will keep everything at hand, but out of the way.
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Let there be light
Natural light is always best solution because it will keep you concentrated and focused on your tasks.
And if your windows provide you with a beautiful view, you have a guaranteed positive mood in your working space.
But if you’re a person who prefers those big naked walls or there isn’t much of the view you’ll have to build an atmosphere using artificial lights.
Just keep in mind you’re not building a movie set and try to imitate the natural light as much as you can.
One positive thing in using artificial light is that you can have a dimmer switch so you can control the intensity regarding your needs.
Work, Play, Sleep, Repeat – the Conclusion
It’s good to be a super mom or businesswoman, but it’s also okay to set realistic expectations.
You’re not a robot and it’s okay to hire some help if you need it.
It’s important to have a good rest and enough time for efficient work.
It’s okay to take off your superhero suit from time to time and ‛just’ be the mom.
Read this for more insight; Tips on Balancing Work and Home, Declutter your Home Office and Boost Productivity, and 10 Things a Small Business Shouldn’t Waste Money On.
