I’m into my third week of “working from home”, and it’s time to evaluate how it is going.
1. It will be different-easier-once I am down to one job. Right now, juggling 3 part-time jobs is challenging. My ideas for making the most (productivity) of my time get lost in moving from job to job, two of which are requiring more than part-time hours. I am hoping and praying that the editing/writing job will go full-time as soon as possible. At this point that potentially looks to be some time after September 1st.
2. Exercise is critical. I never dreamed I would say that. But with two of my jobs requiring me to sit for long hours (well, until I can afford to get a standup desk), I find myself actually craving activity. But if I don’t walk first thing in the morning, it won’t get done. So it has to be one of my morning disciplines. The good thing about this is that it affords me 30 minutes of reading time while I’m walking. After walking and cleaning up, I’m wide awake and more focused to spend the time I need/want to on my spiritual disciplines.
3. My spiritual disciplines in the morning are even more critical working at home. A couple of days I have put them off, thinking I would have time to do them in the evening. I don’t. Just because I’m “home” doesn’t mean I’m “HOME”. My home work day starts at 7:30 and usually goes through at least 5:30, sometimes with a late night thrown in if there is a deadline to meet. My time with My God deserves the best of me, and that is in the morning before I start the stress of the workday, whether it be at home or at Riverside.
4. Working at home has caused me to be more productive in some surprising ways: Laundry is kept up, the house is clean, and I am learning (seriously this time) how to cook. I can’t work in a messy environment, so I find myself keeping on the kids to keep their chores up as well as doing the things I need to do to keep up my house responsibilities. We are eating dinner together around the table every night that I am working from the home (working at Riverside makes it more difficult), and enjoying precious time together.
5. I love the effect the days I am home are having on my crew. They are incredibly respectful of the hours I have to work, keeping quiet and keeping busy. But that doesn’t mean we aren’t interacting through out the day; we are. And I just love being with my kids, even if I am working while I am with them. And the days I work from home, I don’t have the commute that keeps me away from them even longer.
6. Finances: I’ve not been paid yet for my new job, but I certainly have saved money in gas and food. Plus if and when it goes full-time, just the stress of the financial burden being lifted will be tremendous.
7. The Gospel: My new job will allow me to meet people from across the United States, as our company is located across the United States. I have a responsibility and a desire to be different in this fast-paced, high-pressure environment. I’ve read a lot about the gospel lately, and it’s caused me to rethink evangelism (along with the recent debate about “The Sinner’s Prayer”)
I have a lot to learn about productivity and working from home. I’m finding myself putting a lot of the GTD principles to good use, plus Michael Hyatt’s always good wisdom. I use the Omnifocus computer program to keep track of tasks and to-do’s, for both work and home responsibilities.
I am tired, but I am so very grateful for this opportunity. I am blessed beyond what I ever imagined I would be. There is no reason for me to have been given this gift. I don’t take it lightly.