Work From Home: Mindset – S is for Space
The fifth letter of our mnemonic M.I.N.D.S.E.T. specifically designed to help you work from home better is ‘S’, Space.
S – Space Best Practice
This is a checklist for your work at home space. Use it to create a productive space at home for you to work. This will help with your mental state:
I can.
- Work in this space and relax in a different space.
- Set up a desk for my things.
- Have all the necessary things I need around me; sockets, a place to write, a really comfortable chair, space to move, etc.
- Be confident I will not be disturbed.
- Get the technology to work, i.e. the WIFI and phone signal work.
- Not be seen by delivery people at the door.
- Have natural light.
Read the main article: How to Work from Home Effectively – M.I.N.D.S.E.T. – Adopt 7 Best Practices.
I’ve seen my friends do it. I’ve done it. I bet you have too. You wake up, see an email on your phone you need to reply to. Go downstairs, open your laptop, and sit on the sofa. Begin typing. And there you remain until you look up at 11.15 am, and wonder why you are hungry. Know that feeling?
(Click on the image below for the extended version)
‘S’ is about making a place for you to be. For you to work. This is important because if you don’t have a dedicated place to work, your worlds will blur. You’ll feel like you are always at work because the place you work is where you relax and the place where you relax is where you work. Eventually, you’ll get fed up with feeling like you are ‘always working’ and become stressed, grumpy, and blame your job for being too demanding. And want to leave.
Here’s how to solve it…
Create a dedicated space for work. I appreciate you may not have a big enough home for a separate room. Most people don’t. We didn’t when I started working from home 18 years ago. The challenge is not to ‘set up shop’ in a place that is where you relax, or where there are other people. So, ideally not the kitchen table or the sofa. A place to work is one where you can create a desk of your papers, your laptop. Your things. Then, at the end of the day, a place where you can close the door on it, or close down your ‘desk’ and walk away from it.
S – Space Best Practice
This is a checklist for your work at home space. Use it to create a productive space at home for you to work. This will help with your mental state:
I can..
- Work in this space and relax in a different space.
- Set up a desk for my things.
- Have all the necessary things I need around me; sockets, a place to write, a really comfortable chair, space to move, etc.
- Be confident I will not be disturbed.
- Get the technology to work, i.e. the WIFI and phone signal work.
- Not be seen by delivery people at the door.
- Have natural light.
Other 6 M.I.N.D.S.E.T. Best Practices
Read the main article: How to Work from Home Effectively – M.I.N.D.S.E.T. – Adopt 7 Best Practices.
M is for Manage: Learn how to manage yourself working from home.
I is for Isolation: Find out how NOT to isolate yourself working from home.
N is for Neat: Know why staying in your pyjamas all day will affect how you feel about work.
D is for Deliverables: Find out why you are on the payroll and where to start investing in you.
E is for Emotions: Read about why you need to articulate how you feel.
T is for Technology: Technology is the foundation of your productivity. See how to ensure that it is up to the job.
