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Nov.6,2011I don’t often post about anything particularly personal in this blog, what with it being my business blog and all. Today, I’m making an exception.
A client emailed me this morning asking me if I was free to teach some classes this month. It’s a Sunday, and I was still in my PJs, drinking coffee and wading through my mail. Most of us who are self-employed and carry our offices in our computer bags know the deal. Get up, do a little working out, then get some coffee and fire up our laptops to see what’s happening in the wild worlds of our professions.
My husband, upon hearing that I’d have some more classes to teach, took a picture of me working and posted it to his Facebook account. (Hey, he’s proud of me. This is no bad thing in a husband!) But it was what he asked me before he posted the picture that got me to thinking:
“Honey, are you worried this might come across as unprofessional?”
Yes, this is my writin' chair. Students? This is where I tend to prep those wonderful handouts I give you, too!
Well, no…
I wouldn’t go teach in my jammies, but c’mon… Not everyone who works from home has a dedicated home office that’s the sole place they work. I think this is pretty common knowledge.
Oh sure, I could get one of those stock photographs of a pretty smiling woman leaning over someone’s shoulder and pointing to a computer screen as part of the teaching image for my website. And sure, I could imply that I work from an office, and keep quiet about the fact I haul my laptop to coffee shops, on trains, on planes and even on balconies watching the sun come up on the beach. I could imply a staff, but I’m a hired gun. Have laptop, will travel; that’s me!
While I still get an enormous kick out of doing this, it’s not unusual. Lots of people live this way. I think putting the reality of contracting out there (yes, we can work in our jammies, but yes, we also tend to work seven days a week) is a good thing, though. Being self-employed isn’t the rock star lifestyle some like to make it out to be, but neither is it without some nice perks.
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You’ll appreciate this quote from a yahoo article on what NOT to spend big bucks remodeling then :
“Want to get an idea what today’s office-away-from-the-office looks like? Walk into Starbucks.
These days, a home office consists of a multiple-choice combination of wireless laptops, smartphones, PDAs and touch-screen tablets. And that worker bee might be toiling anywhere from a home patio or a favorite restaurant to a park bench.
The standard home office renovation, meanwhile — complete with plenty of built-in storage and high-tech wiring — is this year’s biggest loser in the resale value sweepstakes.”
So, it’s fiscally wise as well !
http://financiallyfit.yahoo.com/finance/article-113739-11532-2-6-worst-home-fixes-for-the-money?hp=true?ywaad=ad0035&nc
I am unsurprised. I have not once fantasized about having a dedicated office since I started Figart Consulting.
My dedicated office is a big blue armchair, with an accordion folder next to it. It’s where I do most of my computer work, photo editing, blog upkeep, and management of my online storefront. If I’m not working there, I’m working from a coffeeshop or a friend’s house.
My art studio, on the other hand… let’s just say that it’s not uncommon to reach for the salt in the kitchen and grab a tube of glitter instead.
Do you find that you’re wondering where the work/life separation is, Rainy? Or do you sweat it?