By lack of structure I mean a freedom to switch randomly from one task to another combined with a continued stream of distractions which would not happen in the office.
A Lack of structure of the actual physical work environment A lack of structure with regards to a chain of command A lack of structure with regards to time management
These are not new problems to most of us.
This magnification can bring about a paralysis which can cause any productive writing activity to grind to a halt.
A Lack of structure of the actual physical work environment
Using a Self Imposed Structured Environment to facilitate the process of getting things done
To write effectively at home we need a self imposed structured environment which will temporarily cordon us off from the rest of the house.
A classic example would be a study.
The more important part of the phrase “self imposed structured environment” is “self imposed.
It took an accident for me to find out how powerful it is to work in a structured environment while spending an extended period of time at home.
This is because after rather forcibly being made to learn the value of structure, I became more pro-active about working with structure in the home environment.
The pain in my left ankle was excruciating.
Diagnosis later revealed a broken leg which put me mostly on my back for over 6 months.
By working on my laptop computer while lying on my back I was able to do a fair bit of software documentation and development consultancy for a charity which I support.
And when both legs were working?
Two years previous to this incident I had been at home for a few weeks while seeking another freelance contract.
So why was it easier to knuckle down after breaking my leg? What did this teach me about working from home?
A bed-ridden environment is a good example but we want it to be voluntary
In my case I was bed ridden hence this provided the structured environment.
This routine enabled me to carry through on my work activities.
What is ideal is to consciously choose the necessary confinement of a structured environment which will make it easier to get things done.
Use more than one Structured Environments to create natural breaks
Some people are fortunate to have a study at home.
When we walk into the study we are deliberately imposing the structure required on ourselves.
I know somebody who hates ironing but sometimes she finds herself doing some ironing rather than carrying on with writing her latest article.
Do not limit yourself to a single structured environment but create a number of them around the home and make sure your writing tools are available at each way station.
(b) Your bed and bedside table.
(d) Your kitchen or dining table.
So if there is drilling going on next door then head for the kitchen table or dining area.
Switching structured environments within the home can sometimes be as refreshing as taking a break.
For example today I was working on this article in my bedroom upstairs and as the evening wore on I started feeling tired.
But take note that I didn’t just move to any area of the house.
So take the time to explore your home and locate and test drive all the nooks and crannies.
Suppose you are living in a one room apartment and you want to take the multiple location approach to keep yourself awake or boost your stamina to keep going.
Depending on where you live there might be some potential writing locations which are within walking distance.
(b) A nearby coffee shop.
(d) The local shopping centre.
(f) A local communal work centre specially tailored to the needs of those who work from home.
Then when you really need them as a means to motivate yourself to meet a tight deadline they are already tried and tested.
Try to get outside occasionally even if you feel you have a sufficient number of rooms or locations to work with inside
On a radio program I was listening to recently, a psychologist mentioned that the internet was making some people emotionally ill because they were using it as a substitute for interacting with people on a personal basis.
For me the mere act of being among people can give an emotional boost even if I don’t know them personally.
I also find the hustle and bustle along with ongoing conversation between others sometimes triggers ideas which I would not normally have if locked up alone at home.
A lack of structure with regards to a chain of command
Having addressed the issue of a structured physical environment let us explore in some detail the conundrum of managing ourselves at home given that there’s nobody else to do it.
In the corporate world we have the well defined management hierarchy with its corresponding chain of command.
We are accountable to our bosses and this in itself (given that they are our paymasters) is usually sufficient motivation to at least try to get something done.
Of course having a boss to motivate us on can be quite effective and if the boss has tact and knows how to work with people this can indeed be a preferred option for some of us.
But in addition I would like to add that it might be even more important to have a simple and effective method of regularly exercising if you work from home.
This is something I quickly discovered when I spent an extended period working from home as in no commute.
It was only when I discovered a simple exercise routine which was portable (could be done at anytime anywhere without the need for any equipment), that I was able to regain control of my weight and also gain a general sense of wellbeing.
” Nick suggested that the article or book writing process can be greatly facilitated by taking a few minutes to plan out the general content.
He suggests a three step process for creating a book or article:
Brainstorm a list of keywords (planning process).
Write your book or article by answering these questions (writing process).
The goal of brainstorming a list of keywords is much less daunting than the goal of writing an article.
If the 3 step process outlined above is used correctly (as detailed in Nick Daw’s writing course) writers often find that by the time they get to step 3 the article virtually writes itself.
But this might be different for you.
What I’ve found is that once the plans have been laid out the actual writing can be done sporadically and piecemeal.
This point has already been touched on under “using multiple structured work environments” as a way to create variety.
There’s an energy to being around people which helps to get us started if we are feeling bogged down.
It’s not just the quiet and having access to books for reference.
3.
There’s a lot of documentation out there on time management.
Become a Clock Watcher
The term “clock watcher” is usually used in a somewhat derogatory manner in the corporate world to indicate an attitude of simply working the required number of hours then dashing home.
” I’ve often found that when I carefully monitor the passage of time while I’m performing a task it helps to create a false sense of urgency which helps me to meet a deadline.
So in performing your writing task you can if you wish proceed as follows:
Take a few minutes to decide how long your stint is going to be.
Begin your task and continue your task until the specified time has elapsed.
I have overcome this by not being too ambitious in specifying how long I wish to work for.
After the stint has been completed hopefully you will feel sufficiently encouraged to set another target time.
Then back to step 1 to decide how long your next writing stint is going to be.
The various techniques available are there to help us but on their own they cannot do anything.
This is what makes it so challenging when operating from the home environment as a writer.
