Coaching Business: Surviving the Home Office...

If you have an office at home you'll want to read this post...

It's to complicated...

I recently came across a post at Michael Port's new Booked Solid Network and the poster shared a challenge that is all to familiar.  How does she keep her office space and time free of toys and other household things and family demands?

This morning while reading and reflecting on the post.  I realized the typical advice in such cases is, far to often, more likely to complicate the matter by adding more work and stress rather than simplifying and reducing stress.

Let me explain...

The symptom isn't the issue...

The easy thing to do is to say..."follow these 10 steps and you'll be golden.  Life will forever be wonderful from that point on..."

Question: If you don't have time to handle what you're doing right now, how will you ever have time to add 10 more steps to your work load...get the point!

Not having a clear division between the home office and the house and family is a symptom, a result of your current habits and even your current perspective.  Habits and perspective lead to certain predictable choices and those choices lead to the same actions over and over again.

When you or I focus on the symptom without looking at the cause life can quickly become "HELL"!  It's like a dog chasing it's tail, even if he catches his tail, then what?

You are not alone when it comes to struggling with how to make your home office a more productive environment.

Don't focus on the clutter...

I suggest that looking at the cause of the clutter or the challenge is far more effective than focusing on the clutter itself.  Here's an example...

We live in an old historical home and closet space seems to be more of an after thought than a functional living need.

Well, for the longest time we fought with the children and keeping their toys and things off the floor.  It was an "EVERYDAY EFFORT" and "DRAIN" on my energy as well as my wife's.

Then it happened, my wife made a comment, one she had probably said before and I just didn't hear it..."If they just had a place to put all the toys..."  Once I heard those words "I GOT IT"!

I immediately went out and purchased some drawers and storage bins and then the miracle happened..."WE HAD MORE SPACE...WINK"!  Wow, it was unbelievable.

Prior to understanding the CAUSE I was focused on the mess and constantly moving the mess from one place to the next.  Nothing really changing other than the location of the mess.

Does this sound familiar?

What is the cause...

Think about it as what is the cause of the challenge...rather than, what is the challenge...

eat too much = weight gain

stopped exercising = weight gain

save money = take a vacation

save money = cash reserves

Ultimately you could say -  

awareness =  choice

You might even say - 

habit without awareness = no choice 

So, are you giving yourself a choice or not?

Time for a change...

Rather than add to the complexity of your day ask yourself...

What could I do to simplify communication with my family? (Goal: Ease transition from working Mom to working Entrepreneur)

Make a list and keep it with you for a week to write down new ideas as you're going about your day.

What could I do to keep my office space free of household clutter?  (Goal: Create a productive working environment for you as an Entrepreneur)

Again, make a list and keep it with you for a week to write down new ideas as you're going about your day.

If there isn't a compelling reason for you to make the change, your habits will win more often than not.

No compelling reason to act = Same old thing

Cause and effect!

You might say that the effect you want is a clean, stress free home office.  Yet, that's only a stepping stone.

You might even say being more productive with your time is the net effect.  Yet, that's only a stepping stone as well.

Then again might say making more sales is the net effect and still you will only be looking at a stepping stone.

Go ahead...continue this process on your own to see where it takes you.

Is it frustrating but tolerable...

If you don't take the time to understand the "WHY" you will never be motivated to make a different choice or to take a different action.  Doing what you're currently doing will continue to be the norm.

What is the ultimate benefit to you turning your home office into a place that allows you to be the very best entrepreneur and business person you can be?

Don't allow yourself to tolerate the frustration, dedicate some time to answering the questions and understanding what is really motivating you to have a business.

Give yourself a chance!

Key points...

1. Change your perspective, change your choice

2. Change your choice, change your action

3. Change your action, change your outcome

4. Simplify

5. Have a compelling reason to change

To your success,

James Possible (Mr. Possible)

Possibility is not an accident, it's a choice!