In April of this year, it’ll be three years since I left the safety of corporate America and started a senior living marketing company with my husband. For the first year, we both worked from home, in a shared office.
What the hell we were thinking, I have no idea.
Actually, we weren’t thinking that year. The fact that we even got through that year is a miracle, in all ways.
Most of the 2nd year we did the same, and our marriage got more and more intense. Our working relationship became awful and we almost lost everything we had.
Then, my husband moved to an office at Craftwork, a kickass coworking coffee shop in Fort Worth.
And, boom. We started getting along. Our business got stronger. Our marriage got stronger. We went out on date nights. We listened to each other and respected each other’s opinions. We formed a union, all over again. We also rebranded our company, got a new regular client, had a few other one-off clients, and everything began working out. It felt like magic, but what it was is this:
If you own a company with your husband and if you care about continually strengthening your marriage, do not work in the same space.
More about that to come in a few blog posts.
For now, here’s some tips on how to work successfully from home.
Dance.
Yep, this is #1. This is the best part about working from home, right? Get up and MOVE. For a few minutes, every few hours, stand up from your desk and start to boogie. Sometimes this is full-on goofy hip hop moves for me (if you’ve been to any of my yoga classes, you know what this looks like), and sometimes it is straight up yoga. I turn on Katy Perry’s Roar or something totally move-able and dance for those 4 minutes before getting back to it. This clears energy and helps get the creative juices flowing like nothing else, and it’s a better pick-me-up than that afternoon cup of coffee.
Side note: I did this in my office when I worked in a corporate office too (I had a standing desk, which helps), and aside from the weird glances, it helped me get through every single day. Dancing is magic.
Side note part 2: if your house is close to the house next door, and the man living next door also works from home in the room closest to your office, do yourself a favor and close the blinds before shaking the booty. I might or might not know this from experience.
Close the Door.
For about a year, my “office” was the dining room table. There was no privacy, and every night as I was getting dinner ready, I would have to clear all the papers away from the table right before we sat down to eat. Absolutely nothing good can happen if your office is also where you eat all your meals. Now, my office is at the back of the house: no more distractions from cars, people, mail ladies, etc., and no more food stains on my day planner. I now have full-on peace and quiet in a clean space.
Baby is Sleeping.
This is my favorite note to put on the door bell, and I do this before every call I get on: Please do not ring the bell. I have seen my friends with newborns put up notes that say “Baby is Sleeping” on their doorbell, and you know what? It works. Do the same at your job. No distractions.
Set Your Office Hours.
OK, I am awful at this. I mean, truly. I work from 5-8, 10-2, 4-6, 7-8. Seriously, it’s nuts. I work whenever I need to, and I have a very hard time creating a division. I will say, this has been my entire marketing life though: marketing never, ever sleeps. And I use my office for writing this blog, for taking photos of the recipes I create, and sometimes for planning my yoga sequences and playlists. This is not good. Have separation, have clear working times, and regain some sanity.
Say No.
I have a few friends who are stay-at-home moms or yoga teachers and so therefore they have pretty flexible daytime schedules. Technically, because I am my own boss, I have a flexible schedule too. That doesn’t mean I have a ton of time to chill during the week. I used to meet them for lunch and what should have been an hour lunch turns into 2+ hours. Guys, if you own a business, you absolutely cannot do this, not on a regular basis at least. Say no, meet them on the weekends, or tell them exactly how long you have to meet. Business is business and just because you work from home doesn’t mean you can blow off working.
Brush Your Teeth.
Immediately after breakfast, brush your teeth, clean your body, put on real clothes, and sit down for work. You will want to work in your PJ’s and your slippers and you should not. End of story.
Take Time Off.
OK, owning a business and working for a business are two toooootally different things. Owning a business means: No Vacation! Not kidding. I don’t dig it. I have to find balance, and I’m trying. So: here’s what I did and it blew my world open. One day in early December, I took a Monday off from work. I drove to Plano, Texas, which is over an hour from Fort Worth, and sat at the True Food bar, ate lunch, had a glass of wine, and then went to the Barnes & Noble Kitchen + Bookstore across the street, got a coffee and a cookie, and shopped for books.
It Was Glorious.
GLORIOUS.
I could have gone to eat here in Fort Worth and been back home in 45 minutes. No. Don’t do that. Get out of your comfort zone. That hour long drive was awesome! The food was killer. The wine was perfect. The books – oh how I love bookstores and coffee shops, whether they’re mainstream or independent. It was the best day I have had in a very long time. And I didn’t have to get on a plane or spend more than $60 on an incredible day. Also? I didn’t bring my laptop. Guys, I bring my laptop to my yoga gigs, to my meals out, to my hair appointments, even in the evenings. It never leaves my side. I am always prepared if there’s a crisis or situation for one of our clients. This needs to stop. Leave the laptop at home, and shoot for having a day out once a month. Do it!
Stay out of the Kitchen.
I’m a snacker, and a bread eater, and cookie maker, and coffee drinker. I love avocado toast, butter toast, peanut butter toast, tofu toast, you name it. I looooove snacking. Oh man. Willpower is not my greatest asset. Having all the food I own behind me (when I worked in the dining room) and next to me (now that I have a real office), oh gosh, guys, it’s hard to resist. So, this is how I have found to help maintain the cravings:
Breathe. And Drink Water.
I used to have little notecards with circles on them, and every time I drank a glass of water, I would color in the circle. This works! I stopped doing it, and then started again after my True Food day. That day, I’m telling you, it made everything fall back into place for me. Getting out of your office and your home is essential from time to time. Drinking water and remembering to breathe is also essential, duh, and helps with the kitchen cravings.
I hope these tidbits help you or help re-energize your routine! Working from home is awesome, I hope to keep this situation as long as possible, and having balance is key.
Coming Next Month: Tips for Being a Female Entrepreneur
Thank you for reading!
~ Jen Malloy
Working From Home Tips + Black Bean Sweet Potato Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 medium red onion, diced
- 1 shallot, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp. cumin
- 1/2 tsp. chili powder
- 1/2 tsp. onion powder
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- 3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1 14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes
- 2 14.5 oz. cans of black beans, rinsed and drained
Instructions
- In a large frying pan, cook the onion, shallots and garlic with a little olive oil (optional) for about 5-7 minutes. Add the spices, stir and cook for another minute or two.
- Add the sweet potato, diced tomatoes, and 1/2 c. water. Cook for 20-25 minutes, until sweet potatoes are fork-tender.
- Add the black beans and cook a final 5 minutes, stirring often.