Because we spend the majority of our waking life at work we need a place of respite, a place where we can feel at peace, what some may refer to as a ‘sanctuary’.
Whether we have a home office as the primary venue to conduct our business or simply as the area to pay bills, sort the mail, etc., it needs to adhere to some very important guidelines.
Keeping in mind that in many homes there are space limitations, nevertheless your home office should be in a location that is as private as possible. In other words, a living room where you entertain or may have family members talking or watching t.v. is not a good place. The very last choice for your home office is your bedroom. The visual connection as well as the energy runs in great contradiction to the purpose of this room.
When you picture yourself entering a sanctuary or a temple, what would you bring as an offering? You would most likely bring fruit, incense and flowers. I am sure that you will agree that it certainly would not be trash or materials emanating from chaos.
Most home offices have the desk, the file drawer and equipment located in one area. Yet the files, the paperwork, the mail, the bills seem to take on a life of their own as they spread themselves beyond the ‘office’ area. They have journeyed to the dining room table, the kitchen counter, the top of the dresser and nightstand even into the garage (which is why the car is parked in the driveway).
What has happened is that the sanctuary has been desecrated. That place designed and intended as a place of respite has been trashed.
Our program deals with the handling of every bit of information you come in contact with, be it paper-based, electronically-held, verbal requests, etc, so as to have instant retrieveability of this information. Your commitment needs to ensure that all (as in 100%) of the paperwork and materials remain within the physical confines of your work environment. In my own home there is not so much as a paperclip (quite literally), that ever trespasses beyond the physical space of my office area.
In this way your home becomes that temple to experience peace, to commune with family and friends and to re-energize you for the following day.
1 comment so far ↓
You’ve just described my apartment. My husband thinks I some how generate the paper everywhere, but it comes from a variety of directions. From the mail to paperwork handed out by the doctor, or the apartment manager, or the important information that I print out myself, it’s everywhere. I do need an office, but I’m in a 1 bedroom apartment. There is no space for an office. I have a desk, but I can’t get to it because it’s in the dining room and the kitchen is so small that we had to get some of those plastic stacking drawers to hold food which is stacked next to the desk, making it impossible to sit at the desk.
But, now that I’ve said it, well, where there’s a will, there’s a way, right? So, there must be a way to make that desk more accessible. Hmmm, I could get addicted to this website. I found it while looking for a part-time job on Craig’s list and I haven’t been able to leave. There is so much great information here.
When I move to Hemet, in a couple of months, I want to work from home. I’ve been an Executive Secretary for over 10 years and was in a variety of other secretarial positions before that and I could always stay organized and work efficiently in an office. When I move I need to make sure I have my “office space,” so I don’t stay buried in papers that need to be read, or filed, or take action on, or shred. I have all of the equipment and software I need to work from home. I’ll be putting that new office in a quiet space when I move. I can hardly wait!
You must log in to post a comment.