The Textile Cabin

This blog post is dedicated to my husband Roo who after a busy day out at work comes home to me and my mess and still loves me!

Tips on working at home:

• Waking up. Set the alarm for a realistic time. If you can’t actually wake up for the 6am alarm, don’t set it. If you can’t manage the first task you have set yourself for the day you might wake up feeling disappointed. When I am ambitious in my alarm setting, unless I have to get up for something, I don’t. Then I wake up an hour later feeling angry and disappointed with myself. When I set the alarm for a later time, I wake up and continue my day with a more positive approach.

• Working hours. They don’t have to be 9am - 5pm. Find a routine that suits you, be it midnight to eight in the morning or after lunch through to late evening. As long as you are getting the work you need to get done, done then do your own thing.

• Getting started - just start. The hardest thing to do sometimes is to start work. In amongst the housework, walking the dog, cooking the dinner etc is the nagging feeling that you should be working. Pretend the rest of the house is not there and just get started. Frustratingly the one thing I want to do (getting on with my art work) is the one thing I put off until I have done everything else.

• Saying No. It’s really difficult to say no to people especially if you are a people pleaser.
  • Don’t answer the home phone if you need to concentrate - have a separate line for work calls and check the home phone for messages later.
  • Get a sticker for the door if you frequently have sales calls etc.
  • Let friends and family know you are working.

• Getting the work done. Make a list - do the quickest and easiest things first and then move on to the time consuming jobs. You will then know you have made a good start, have a sense of achievement and the other jobs won’t be on your mind.

• Have a break! Don’t forget to have a break. Eat well, get some fresh air, get out of the room you have been working in and relax!