Category Working Naked

Office Space vs. Living Space

Working in the same place / space you relax or live in is ok for college, but once you step into the real world you need to separate the two. Setting aside a "work area" that you enter and mentally go to work is always a good thing. When that work area shares the same physical space as a "play", "eat", or "sleep" area the emotional and intellectual boundaries between the two will break down.

Long term success demands a private work area.

You need an exclusive room with door that closes. Arguing this is pointless -this is not a thought or a theory or an idea. It is fact -in the long term you will fail without this.

Some employers may require that not only have a room with a door that closes, but that you also have a door that locks. Some insurance policies may give a discount for this as well. I'm not going to go into the reasons for this requirement / reward, suffice to state that Employers and Insurance companies are not stupid and have very some good reasons for wanting you to have a door that locks.

The locking door being a good idea presupposes that there is in fact a door, which logically dictates the existence of a room. This room doesn't have to be big, but it must be a single purpose place: it is your office, it is the place where you earn a living.

Now I will quite readily admit that working by the pool, or at a coffee shop, or in the garden, or on Lanai can sometimes be very refreshing and productive, but all of these are temporary and shared work/play areas. Intellectually and Emotionally, you need a permanent, dedicated place to work.

Don't relegate your career to corner of the kitchen or an alcove off the family room.

This is the place you go to work. This is the place to be free of distractions. This is the place where you can focus and concentrate. Ultimately this is the place where you will build great things.

Every other tip is just a tip; consider this one LAW!