Working from home is a BIG example of MYOB - MIND your own business. Tend it the way you would a precious garden you are building. Do you approach your workspace with joy and peace, or with reoccurring angst? When you sit down to work at your business each day, do you first have to clear away dirty coffee cups and dig a path through paperwork to even reach your keyboard? Creating a sacred workspace is both a literal, day-to-day chore and a far-reaching concept to impress upon our housemates (and ourselves).
As we enter 2008, give yourself twenty minutes of quiet meditation simply standing in your work area. Ask yourself -- What kind of office space would “invite” you to work every day? Grab a clipboard and jot down two columns – Changes I can make a) immediately and b) over the next few months.
Some helpful ideas:
· Keep a simple A-Z standing expandable folder by your desk so you don’t have to jump up for every note, idea, or piece of paper that floats by you. (This is also a great way to stop misplacing things on your desk.)
· Utilize a standing divided file for current projects. If you share your workspace or your computer with other members of your family, you can purchase a “briefcase box” file at Target for less than $10. You can then close this and take your current projects and important paperwork with you at the end of your work day – proactively saving yourself from crisis and chaos.
· Keep a file folder handy to print out and keep emails and helpful ezines (like The Virtual Vision) that arrive in your email – you can relax with these over coffee later.
· Keep a recycle box under your desk for paper, and remember to keep your trash emptied every day.
These are small suggestions, but remember to think big when you’re making your list! Would a new printer or laptop help you to have a better work area? Courageously put these things on the list. Do you need a new chair? Or perhaps a Gal Friday to do your invoicing and filing once a week? You may be running a virtual business, but as you become busier, you may need some flesh and blood help to keep things clear enough to be creative and have room to grow.
Building a sacred, quiet, inviting place to succeed is not a luxury. It is part of the foundation of our new life. You write the script for your success every single day as a Virtual Professional. You choose the props. You put on the show. Setting a beautiful and inviting “stage” is an important element to our business that we simply cannot afford to overlook.
With Gratitude, Michelle Ulrich,
Chief Villager and President
www.thevirtualnation.com
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