The positives and negatives

of working at home

Eight years into working from home – you’d think we would have this all figured out!

BUT NO.

There are SO many reasons why you should want to work from home (specifically this post will be referring to working for yourself vs working remotely for a corporate organization) but you should also start to get more familiar with yourself, work style and needs before/as you do.

So here’s the deal…

As I was writing out all those “Pros” guess what? They can actually all be “Cons” too.

We we first started working from home that was the initial list of why I was SO pumped to be self-employed.

We slept in till 9am nearly every day (because also #nokids so you can) and we started working whenever we wanted.  I would often work in my pajamas or yoga clothes, we ate when we wanted and neither of us had a boss to report to.

We had BAD boundaries. Like, bad.

How Pros quickly became Cons

As an (extreme) Extrovert it was pretty obvious to me that I really needed to be around more people. Going from a job where I got to work in home, intentionally and intimately with families to just Dan (and extreme opposite Introvert, especially then) was HARD.  It was compounded by working together, feeling like I shouldn’t have a boss, when in fact Dan was a defacto boss but didn’t really want to be. (I could be pretty hard to reign in and get focused especially in the early years)

Then I didn’t realize what I now know to be more of a pro is dressing for the job and treating yourself like a pro.

HUH? Yup.

It wasn’t until we were in the “wrapping up’ phases of our photography business (so 6 1/2+ years into working from home!) that I realized this.  Around this time was when I started to think about taking my Young Living business (my personal one, not the new website) more seriously. I started reading more personal development books and realizing I wasn’t taking myself seriously, so why should anyone else?

For YEARS my desk was our kitchen table or my own lap on the couch.  Dan always had a permanent one, while I tried a few out between various out-of-the-home studios we had.  When we lived in our “Texas house” (in St Louis Park on Texas Ave) that house was SO small (less than 900sqft of useable space) the kitchen table was my “best” option. That option was unproductive at best…

It was only within the last year that we turned (what was hoped to be a nursery) into my office.  I’ll admit, it was a bit emotional for me (this is a convo for a whole other post) but it was a much needed change. You can see more of my office here!

I almost left out the best part!

Depending on your industry, your office can be anywhere!  As photographers we had quite a bit of flexibility… during Minnesota winters.  Which was awesome! But now? We have EVEN MORE flexibility with having businesses online. (a duplicateable website and a team of people striving for living a healthy life! Let me know if you want to know more about either!)

Yes we are still doing some photography work in 2018 (5 weddings and one LONG weekend of Super Bowl events – all of which will be SO MUCH FUN!)

However, we were really always hoping for more flexibility (once you get a taste of it and can see a path for more, it’s hard not to run after it!) We love MN summers, we long lake time, birthday parties, cookouts with friends and relaxing and we’re so excited to take FULL advantage of what Minnesota has to offer this summer!

Productivity Perfected?

I certainly haven’t perfected the art of being productive – total #workinprogress over here.  But I can tell you this…

Getting up early, dressing the part, having a schedule, writing out daily objectives and at least having someone to “report” to on your progress (think: goals accountability partner) are a BIG key to now only surviving being a Small Business Owner, but to THRIVING.

To my fellow SBOs how there…

How do you implement routine, discipline & goals in to your daily life?