May 2018

I know when some folks think of us that work from home, there are visions of people lying around in their sweat pants, laptop slung across their lap, while they are snuggled up in bed. Comfy, comfy, comfy.

In actuality, I have a separate office, with an office computer, phone, and desk. Being in my office brings me to a mindset of “it’s time to work!” and I get down to business. However, there are some things that make me more productive:

1. I can’t work barefoot. A lack of footwear tells my mind that I’m relaxing, and when I don’t have shoes on I am easily distracted.
2. I have to dress for work. I know some folks think I’m crazy for putting on a dress shirt and a pair of khakis, but when I work from home I generally wear something resembling what I’d wear in the office.

Getting into a work mindset, and dressing for a successful day, has been key for my working in a “virtual office” for the past five years. I wouldn’t change the experience for the world, because I am honestly much more productive doing my thing remotely.

I just have to make sure that I’ve dressed for the part.

I’ve been thinking a lot about ‘perspective’ this weekend. The motivation for this line of thought is not important at this time; let’s just say that sometimes life gives you a reason to think about the bigger picture.

And what have I been thinking about? What’s really important, I guess. We’ve had 18 months of unprecedented chaos from the highest office in the land. Despite this, we live in a city we love, have a nice roof over our heads, and we do things that fulfill us. Not everyone in the world has this luxury and that is something to remember.

Do screaming women in a restaurant bother me? Yes. Is it worth getting upset about? No. I might rage tweet once or twice about it, and I should probably stop doing things like that, but the truth is I will not change their behavior by throwing some sort of fit in public. And honestly, a nearly 50-year old man having a hissy fit in the middle of a restaurant is just as bad as the Screaming Trixies to begin with, so why add to the chaos? Roll with it and save the high blood pressure for something that is deserving of hysterics. Screaming women in a restaurant are not worth the energy.

With the bit of soul searching and priority seeking I’ve been doing in my head this weekend, I feel like I’m jumping into the work week more prepared than I have been in months.

The key to a successful life is this: do your best, do good things, and share your love. Love life. Find the reason to love life. That’s all you have to do.

Keep it all in perspective.