[BNM] How can you make working from home bearable and productive? Suggestions please!

[Chris Billett]

On 02/07/2008 16:32, "paul perrin" wrote:

> I dont really get the 'close the door on it' thing...
> 
> If I didn't enjoy my work then I'd change my career - and as I enjoy
> it, it is perfectly natural for it to blend in to my 'leisure' time.
> 
> Sometimes I work 9:00-17:00 ish; sometimes I'll spend a day chilling
> (going to a school sports day or watching tennis for instance) and
> work say 20:00-3:00 sometimes I work 7:00-24:00 or similar and take a
> long week end.
> 
> I tend to do fixed price work, so If I do it slowly in front of
> wimbledon or whatever, or head down, in the zone, burning the candle
> at both ends is totally up to me.

I agree entirely. Sometimes it seems that people are so into defining these
things that they might as well just get a full time job and a suit!
Flexibility and the (occasional!) right to say 'screw it, I'm watching the
Neighbours omnibus' is part of the fun of freelancing. As is eating nothing
but plum tomatoes on mouldy toast for a week if you overdo it on the
chillaxing.

> If I am not in the mood to work, then there is no point sitting in
> front of the PC thinkng about how to get motivated - I'll take the day
> off enjoy it, and crack on when I am ready.

You can't force it. I find this for writing more, of course. Tech stuff
comes naturally (sadly) whenever it needs to.
 
> I have a wife and two kids, so there is usually a bit of noise in the
> house to keep my in touch with reality :-)

I have a sand lizard and and AdiumX - it'll do until the family arrives...

> ... I started "landing page optimization" which is rubbish, so I'll be sending
it back for a refund (though I guess some people might think that reading such
books is 'work'!).

Urgh, appalling character development, and I saw the twist at the end a mile
off!

CB