Eight years ago when I started my business, I had to re-think my daily routine. In just a couple of days I went from a routine of getting ready for work and traversing the slight traffic issues that we have in Central Florida, to showing up, grabbing a cup of coffee and being at my office between 7 and 7:30 each day. Sometimes I would take a break and go out for lunch, then make my way back home, normally around 5 or 6 in the evening.
My routine day was a plethora of interruptions. As the Congressional and Public Affairs Officer for a busy Army organization, my routine day was a plethora of interruptions. Sometimes it was the boss with a new task or input on a current project, but many times it was a colleague who had a question or concern. Sometimes it was a colleague who wanted to chat. Although I loved the interaction, some of these water cooler discussions left me with the pressures of having to work late to accomplish my “must do” projects.
So, on February 28, when I changed the scenery, I continued to get up early and go right to work in my home office – no traffic – not many interruptions – and some really efficient work time. Over the years, however, I have noticed that even though I do have a dedicated office, my work has crept into most of my waking hours. The very good news about teleworking is that when I have a family event – either joyous or even a crisis – I can move my work time or location around and remain dedicated to my family while still supporting my clients, and the end of my day may be midnight or whenever the work is done.
An interesting article written by Rieva Lesonsky entitled “What Type of Telecommuter Are You?” discusses various types of Telecommuters. About half of our team are onsite support staff, leaving the other half as teleworkers. Capital Communications & Consulting is made up of some of the most talented and creative communications, public relations and artists that you will encounter; and we offer great solutions for our clients at a reasonable cost. About half of our team is onsite support staff, leaving the other half as teleworkers. The referenced article provides good insights on understanding the types of teleworkers we have and how I can work better with the various types. At the same time, it is a great read for folks who telework, and it provides some self-help in understanding and improving productivity.
