Characters I Hang Out With at My Office

When I see these guys, they make me happy.

The Happy Clown and I have worked together since 1990.

How do I know, you ask?

Because he is dated "Hallmark, 1990, Happy Birthday."

 Two co-workers gifted him to me.

He stands on either foot, or even on his head!

Perhaps I'll post a pic of him doing a headstand.

The other characters are surprises from German Kinder Eggs.

I went to Berlin, Germany in 2001? 2002? for a business meeting.  

Our hosts gave us Kinder Eggs every day for our afternoon break.

Nothing inspires a conference room full of tired adults 

quite like a chocolate egg, with a surprise inside!

What types of mementos do you have in your office or work space?

Purging The Old Office

I've been spending time the last few days purging files in my home office. It certainly feels good and has provided me with a few laughs.

Most of the corporate files are no longer relevant. I really have embraced the "paperless office" concept, but even with my discipline of disposing of work papers as projects end, there is still a considerable amount of stuff I kept. About half of it I can just toss in the trash, but the other half needs to be disposed of by shredding.

Other files are personal stuff, which have caused me to shake my head and/or laugh when reviewing.

The most fun file to review so far has been my "decorating ideas" file. You know the one...the one where you rip pages out of magazines, catalogs, or newspapers showing everything from house plans, to furniture, accessories, paint colors, etc. that "speak to you" and you would like to incorporate in your home.

As I've aged, my tastes have refined. I could still absolutely see why I pulled every one of those pages and filed it away for future perusal. I confess, some of the pages I didn't have the heart to toss. Guess I'll be keeping a "decorating ideas" file for a while!

It will be energizing to have a cleaned out, re-organized home office, with space for new project materials.

I just have to finish the work!

Work at Home

I am a virtual employee for a global company.  I have 6 years experience in this environment.  Being a virtual employee can mean availability outside the normal 8-5, Monday-Friday work schedule.  There are times when this is inconvenient, but for the most part it is very manageable.

To be a successful virtual employee, there are several things I think are important. They are:

• Have an official office in your home, with all the equipment and storage you need. 
  
• Remain in your home office during regular business hours. 
• At the end of the regular business day, exit your home office.
• Keep your personal life separate, just like you would if you were working in a traditional office.

When you work at home, don't work "at home"

• the kitchen is for cooking
• the dining room is for dining
• the living room is for living
• the home office is for working 

Being a home based, virtual employee doesn't mean you can't throw a load of laundry in or run to the grocery store.  However, it does mean that during regular business hours your manager, your team and your customers should be able to connect easily with you, just as if you were sitting in the corporate office.

Two of my favorite phrases to describe home working are: 

• I work where I live, not live where I work.
  
• Work is a thing I do, not a place I go.
  

I am grateful my employer has allowed me to work in this manner for the past several years.  It would be quite a challenge for me if I was ever asked to return to a traditional office!