I Didn’t Like Working From Home…

Every year, I am given ten work from home days to use as I see fit. However, even though I have been given the option to do so I have rarely used more than a couple out of necessity. I have never been a fan of working from home. This has not been a secret and there are a multitude of reasons for my dislike of this arrangement. What it really comes down to is the simple fact that I am not as productive at home as I am at the office. And that is all about the focus that I lack when there are so many distractions around the house.

However, in the few weeks that we have been in our new home, that stance is beginning to waver and, with the office arrangement that I have, I seem to be maintaining my focus better than I have been in the past. On some days it is even better than at the office. While I don’t believe it is one specific thing that has helped me I do know that it is a much more comfortable arrangement.

In the past, my office has either been upstairs or in the basement far removed from anything else in the house. Theoretically, this seems like a good arrangement but in reality it created, over time, an atmosphere that wasn’t conducive to getting work done. Over time I would use these spaces less and less until they eventually remained relatively unused and my laptop and work documents overtook the kitchen table. It proved to be quite the vicious cycle.

The only time that I had an office on the main floor was in our apartment in Bala Cynwyd. It actually worked well for a little while but because of the odd hours I kept, the close proximity to the bedroom which prevented me from typing too loud, and the maintenance issues that proceeded to drip all over the carpet, this too was a short lived arrangement. Of course, it also didn’t help that my wife and I shared the office space and we have completely different ways of working.

Now we have separate spaces on the main floor of the house. While there is still some work that needs to be done so that I can use the space on a more regular basis (i.e. doors put in so the sound doesn’t travel up the stairs at night and wake up our son), it is already proving to be an excellent place to get things done. I think I have completed more projects in this office over the past month than I did sitting in the basement in our last rental. So, now working from home might not be so bad which is a good thing because the roads might not be as friendly in our current location.

I Couldn’t Get The Timing Right Today

I begin this post as I have many others. It was way too early to be getting out of bed this morning but somehow, after about 4 hours of sleep, I managed to crawl out of bed and into the shower. While it may be a great time of day for some, five in the morning is not a good time of day for me. But, some work days begin earlier than others and today was definitely one of those days.

I was moving particularly slow this morning and quickly started running behind. About 20 minutes behind schedule, I got in passenger seat of my wife’s car, and we were off to the airport. We pulled up to the US Airways terminal with what I thought was plenty of time… that thought persisted until I got in line to go through security. 40 minutes and a security checkpoint change later and I was finally on my way to the gate. Normally I arrive at the gate in plenty of time to sit and relax before flying, this morning I didn’t even have time to hesitate, and I walk right onto the plane. Thankfully, I was pleasantly surprised with a front row, first class seat.

Surprisingly, given the fog, we took off on time. The next two hours comprised a large number of bumps, so I was told, and a lot of sleeping. Some people can work the entire flight, from gate to gate, like my boss sitting next to me. That is something that I have never been able to do. The best way for me to be productive is to get as much sleep as possible so that I can get work done later. By the time the plane touched down in Atlanta, we were running back on schedule. By the time the car service dropped us off at the client’s office, we were running ahead of schedule.

This is when the fun began. While the meeting was long, over six hours of constant discussion, it was a great back and forth both of information and opinion. This was a discovery and messaging meeting that is a fascinating thing to watch let alone participate in. By the time the information fire hose is turned off at the end of the day, you have all the information you need and a lot of ideas that you don’t. It is also a great opportunity to get to know the people at the company and find out a little bit about how they go about their work as well as a little about themselves which comes out is little drips throughout the day.

Before we had a real chance to breath, the day had passed and the car service was calling us wondering when we were coming down since they had been waiting outside for the past 45 minutes. Oops, time to wrap things up and head out the door. And just like that we were on our way back to the airport to catch a 7:50 plane back to Philadelphia. Even running behind and the notorious Atlanta traffic, we got to the airport with enough time to sit down for a quick bite to eat. With egg and cheese sandwiches and Pepsi (I know, I was shocked) in our stomachs from Der Waffle Haus, we walked over to the changed gate and got settled in our aisle seat in the middle of the plane.

Two and a half hours and some restless sleep later we were back in Philadelphia and waiting for transportation home. So, nearly 17 hours after my day started, I walked back into the apartment. Even though I was obviously dragging, I was wide awake and ready to get things going after an excellent day and meeting. However, my first business day trip (via an airport) is a little nuts when you think about it. Oh well, sometimes you have to do what you have to do and I prefer sleeping in my own bed and coming home to my wife. So, while hectic, it was a good day all around.

Back To The Monday Routine

After the craziness last week it was nice to the usual Monday routine. Come to think of it, we haven’t had a ‘normal’ Monday for some time now as we have been jumping from one project to another which pushed back our usual slate of Monday internal meetings to later in the week. While things are still as busy as ever, the lineup of meetings seems to have returned to their usual timing.

However, heading into this week I feel as though I am finally returning to normal and the deteriorated PR skills from my extended time away from the industry are beginning to regenerate. They have been there from the time I started this current job in one form or another but now there is marked growth with a return to my former productivity and efficiency within reach. It is hard to explain but I think the best analogy, and a clichéd one at that, is that if you let a car sit for a year it is going to take some time before you getting working efficiently again like it’s supposed to. Sure it will probably run as soon as you turn it on but there is going to be a lot of things wrong with it that you are going to have to address one by one. Eventually everything is fixed and things begin running smoothly again, like they should be.

Awkward analogy, part of one. Awkward analogy, part of one. Your blog post is ready.

After the success of last week now in the past, it is time to work on the other projects that have been put off or passed off over the last couple of weeks. With that said, there are still many opportunities that have come about from the work done and the meetings held last week with will be in addition to what is usually in the growing pile on the desk. But now there is a schedule that I can rely on until it is drastically changed over and over again. Hey, that is the business and industry in which I strive and what keeps things interesting during the week.

So, the routine survived today which is not bad. Sometimes you have to have a predictable day that allows you to cope with the insanity of the ‘normal’ schedule. I don’t know how long this planned out week will last but until the schedule falls apart I am going to enjoy the predictability for as long as it can hold out (or until we can’t take it anymore). Hey, we are a unique group of people, those in the PR industry, and sometimes we are at our best when the schedule goes to pot so when things are calm for too long we have to switch it up to maximize our productivity. I never said we were a normal bunch.

I Guess Sometimes I Need Four Hours Of Sleep

I was up late Sunday night trying to take care of a few things that had to be done first thing Monday morning. I stayed at my laptop until the last item was entered. Unfortunately, sometimes my determination gets the best of me and I just lose track of time altogether. Because of that, I didn’t crawl into bed until about three in the morning. With my alarm set for seven the week was already off to a rough start.

Having had my eyes shut for only four hours, my alarm was not a welcomed sound. As I rolled out of bed and began my morning routine, it was not looking too good. After a not so relaxing weekend, I had a bit of dread heading into the office on Monday morning. Even the drive to the office, while smooth and with minimal traffic, I was tired and the highway seemed to go on forever.

I walked into the office like I do every day, got to my desk, and set up everything I needed out for the day. Before sitting down at the computer I headed over to the kitchen, made a big cup of coffee, and began going over the client checklist of all the things that needed to get done by the time I headed home for the night (all the things I wasn’t able to get to the night before). This really wasn’t going to be a good day.

It was time to head to my fate so I planted my rear in my chair, poised my fingers above the keys, and waited for the blank thoughts to flood my mind. It was at this time that things, for some strange reason, just seemed to click. Sometimes I just have one of those writing days when everything seems to come into place.

Before I knew it the paragraphs were forming on the page and, what was even better, they seemed to make sense. Within a matter of a couple of hours I was pages into a project and was still going strong. With a handful of projects filed away and emailed, I had gotten more done during the morning than I had expected to get done the entire day.

It was at this point that the creative wall tattooed me across the forehead and left me with a massive headache. Thanks to a productive morning, I was able to keep the severe pounding at bay with Motrin and a number of small items that I could fill in between the eye rubbing and temple massaging. It turned into a long day, as expected, but it was hugely productive, which was a pleasant surprise. You really never know when those creative streaks will hit but I am really glad when they do.

Working From Home: I'm Not A Fan Of Snow Days

I don’t know if I have ever mentioned this before but I hate working from home. It’s not that I don’t enjoy being home and not having to commute, especially when my wife is home as well, I am just not as productive as when I am sitting at my desk in the office. Even the simple asking of a question can sometimes take longer as you can’t just pop your head in someone else’s office to give them the heads up. However, the thing that suffers the greatest handicap is creativity particularly when you know that much of our day is going to be filled with writing.

Contrary to the noise that I have heard from some others, creativity is a social or group exercise. While others may not be forming the exact words that you inscribe on the page, or as in this instance punch on a keyboard, they still provide a great deal of inspiration and/or direction on projects both work related and purely creative. Whether you want to admit it or not, the work that you do is heavily influenced by the people and the world around you.

However, too much stimulation can be detrimental to the process which is another factor of why I don’t work well from home. While some I know are completely comfortable at home which promotes productivity, that same situation stymies my output. Having so many things of interest around me, o the book cases, in the closet, on the table and desk it can sometimes be difficult to keep my focus on the screen. Actually, it is more of the personal projects, mostly involving organization, that distract me more often than anything else. Most of the time the need to work and get things done, especially those with a tight deadline, force my eyes back to the word document open in front of me but there are occasions when my mind and glance wander and do so for several minutes at a time.

I don’t see this as being a permanent problem of not being able to work efficiently from home but, for now, it is an issue. Maybe once I get things a bit more organized and a few more personal projects taken care of I will be able to keep my mind from wandering in that direction. I think that should be another item to add to my resolutions posted on Wednesday. If I can get that done, hopefully sooner rather than later, I think it would help with most of the other projects and goals that have previously been listed. So, consider this another resolution added to the list with the hope that it is resolved by the time I have to work from home again.

A Day Of Rest, A Day Of Work

Yesterday was a prime example of why my wife and I decided to start going out again on Saturdays. While we made this decision earlier in the year and it has been of great benefit for us since that time most of the days have been just the two of us going out and exploring. Yesterday we had the chance to visit with friends whom we haven’t been able to get together with for some time. And during that visit we were able to see their new son.

These are the days that we cannot replace and the times that truly honor the day and give additional meaning to the day. We are able to appreciate all that G-d has given us and see all the blessings that have been bestowed upon our family and friends. This is what life is all about.

What’s more, with both of us on ‘normal’ schedules, we are finally getting around to fully embracing this time and use these days to recharge and do the things that we are unable to enjoy during the week. We have made these days holy by embracing and cherishing the day and all the possibilities is now offers. This day is made holy by the people, places, and experiences that make it unlike any other day.

While there is still much work that needs to be done, especially in freeing our minds from our weekday thoughts and tasks, this is certainly a step in the right direction. Even though a balance has yet to be achieved between tradition and modernity, we are closer to the center than we ever have been before. Services and study are still lacking but the perspective and appreciation, which I believe to be paramount, are in perfect harmony with our life.

Our next task needs to be to bring balance to Sunday. This tends to be a day that lacks both substance and productivity. Today is a day that is fraught with general laziness which isn’t a bad thing from time to time but should not be a weekly occurrence. Tasks that need to be done tend to get pushed to the next weekend or into the busy week. There is a certain absence of fulfillment that tends to tarnish the day.

But things have begun to change. We have gotten a few things done today and last weekend but still not as much as I would have liked to… the office is still a disaster area which is completely my fault. But other things are getting done, Shabbat is coming along, and the work week is filled with activity and productivity so, overall, we are on a really good pace and finally returning to a fulfilling life even if there are a couple of days that need work.