I’ve invested in my infrastructure lately and that takes a lot of time and money. My dream home office is becoming a reality. I have a great set up. I also have to say I love where I work more than any place I have worked before.
I am fortunate to have a double glass door out to our deck and amazing natural light. This peaceful, natural setting allows for a healthy working environment. My cat, Noah, spends most afternoons on the side of my desk. He lazily looks out the window and sleeps while I work. I can hear him purring during most of my tasks.
Happiness in your home office is a huge thing for productivity. I am fortunate to have my own space and don’t have to share. I can spread out my machines, tools, and other items (files, paperwork, etc) in a way that makes sense to me completely. It’s also painted in colors I chose, and while the furniture is a nod to our home more than my personal work-style, I have to bomb of a chair that makes using my tools on the furniture that much better. I wouldn’t trade my chair for the world!
One of the things that is important to me is up-time. My clients pay me to do what I do because I am better at it than them, and I keep up systems and processes for them and with them that they cannot maintain on their own.
To help with this, I reached out to fellow VA Tami Savage for help in designing the ultimate computer system and network for my home office. She’s pretty techie and got me on the right track for what I really needed to have to work the way I want to work. I have redundancy and three systems, all backed-up off site, so I have the power and control to work everywhere I need to work. It’s a great set up.
What does this mean for my clients?
Well, my investment in my office becomes their asset. They take advantage of my speed, resources, and the benefits of my personal happiness and well-being without having to create and support that environment themselves. If you are a business owner you know how much time and effort it takes you to maintain your own computer and office, let alone what you would spend doing it for an employee. So far, it has been my experience that the technology at my fingertips far surpasses what my clients have themselves. As it should be… that’s my business and what makes me an asset to theirs.
Many of my clients, while they have storefronts, work with me to help handle their online presence. They don’t want to dedicate office space for the work I do, much less spend money and time to make it cozy, warm, inviting, and a place someone loves to spend 8 hours a day. We all know how much better we function in a happy environment. I get to enjoy my own space, in a happy and familiar surrounding… this makes me better at what I do. Less distractions, more joy = better work.
Read more about how I am investing in me… to help you… next week…