Tag Archives: transitions

Right now I am in a transition phase, trying to figure out the best way to work from home. I am throwing myself full-out into my new business, working hard, and really enjoying it. Of course I have moments (and days!) when I am discouraged/afraid/cynical but I also have lots of days when I feel hopeful/capable/full of optimism. I guess it’s no surprise that finding a work/rejuvenation balance is the first challenge of the new entrepreneur. But there’s a reason it’s a cliché: it’s something we all struggle with.

What’s the answer? Well of course the answer is that it depends. It depends on you, your business, your goals, and your environment.

1. My business: I am at the beginning stages of building my business, working on developing workshops and products, building my website and network, and learning as much as I can from those who have gone before me. But I also need to find time to meet with people in person and take advantage of the huge potential of using the right social media in the right amount.
2. My environment: it’s hot here in Istanbul and I don’t have an air-conditioner.
3. My goals: build business fast as possible but go slow enough to not make too many mistakes. Of course mistakes are inevitable, but I want to slow down enough to learn from them.

The answers for me (for now):

1. I work when I am most alert and receptive, because I’m trying to take in a lot of new information and think creatively and energetically. This means hopping out of bed when I wake up early because of that bright unrelenting sun and getting right to work. Sometimes I don’t even shower before I get down to it because there’s time for that later when the heat of the day becomes unbearable. I get a good 6 hours of solid, uninterrupted work in before realizing I need a snack and a snooze. I enjoy my afternoon siestas and find that if I let myself rest, I’m ready to get back to work after a break of an hour or two. After my break I shower and jump back in.
2. Whatever the reason, I am now more productive at home than I have ever been in the past when I worked out of a home office. I used to have to go to a cafe to get anything done, now I get more done in my apartment than anywhere else. I recently rearranged my flat and think I may have accidentally feng shui’d it! My current routine is to work on the balcony while it is shady and breezy, move into the salon when the sun gets too hot, then spend an hour or two in the breezeway at the hottest part of the day to take advantage of the air passing through. I realize as I write this that my dog actually figured all that out before me…
   

   Gratuitous photo of my cute dog enjoying the balcony

3. I want to go FAST but know I need to be careful not to cut corners or wear myself out today, because tomorrow I have to get up and do it all over again. This is my biggest challenge at the moment, because my brain is going at top speed and there’s just not enough time to get it all done. It would be easy to get discouraged at that long list of Tasks That Must Be Done, but I try to remember I’m never going to be finished so it’s best to check off what I can and be thankful that when I wake up tomorrow I know there is work to be done. Of course, just because I have decided it’s quitting time doesn’t mean my brain will consent to stop. My current strategy is to make as many plans for extra curricular activities as possible so that I am forced to focus on other things, and to close my computer, or at least all those tempting social media tabs! Check out this moving and fascinating TED video of how our brains work, left vs. right, and where those voices inside our heads originate. Then get out there and activate your right brain.

I can already foresee that as my business develops and as the seasons change, so will my schedule and habits. When winter comes and it’s gray and damp in Istanbul, I know I’m going to struggle with getting out of bed (to wallow in the melancholy gray days of Istanbul check out this book). I may have to find a cafe to work in so that I don’t drift off into endless naps. And as my business develops in unexpected ways I will have to learn to channel my energy to the right places in the right amounts.

For another viewpoint, check out artist Natasha Wescoat’s thoughts on training yourself to be productive. I would love to hear about your successes and struggles when it comes to setting your workstyle, please take a moment to share your thoughts in the comments.