Tips for Working from Home

Although I'm currently unemployed, I "work" on many different projects. The most pressing one right now is a business plan that I am writing, and I have been finding it extremely easy to be distracted by other things. That said, I have also gotten a tremendous amount done so I thought I'd share some of my strategies for staying focused.

1. Get out of the house
Yes, it's true. My number one tip regarding working from home is not to do it, or at least not to do it all the time. If you have gotten into a routine of procrastinating at home, it is especially important to change the setting to help break out of that. Some people go to cafes or diners; I prefer the library

2. Stop multi-tasking
I am not the first person to say this but it is certainly worth repeating. Most people are more productive when they only try to do one thing at a time. So close your web browser. Close all extraneous programs and windows on your computer. Consider turning off your phone. Move items off your desk that are unrelated to the current project (just move them out of sight for now, don't get involved in putting them away right now). Just do one thing.

3. Do the most difficult task first 
I sometimes get stuck in the trap of putting off and putting off a task that I think will be odious. The best way to address this is to get it out of the way first. The task I am dreading is usually not as bad as my anticipation of it. Even if it is difficult, once it is done it takes a weight off my shoulders, gives me momentum, and makes everything that comes after seem easier.

4. Find your best times for work
When do you have the most energy? When do you have a quiet space to yourself? Do you need to make calls to people who are only available during specific hours? When are your other commitments?

5. Set specific time periods for work and breaks and stick to them
Treat whatever you need to get done like a "real" job. Using the information from #4, set a work schedule - decide what time you will start work, and how long you will continue before taking a break. Small rewards for sticking to your schedule are appropriate.

6. Make a work date
Like an exercise buddy, a work buddy holds you accountable to someone else, and can be a good motivator to follow through when you are having trouble following through on commitments to yourself.

What are your strategies for getting work done?

Traveling in March

Those of you who read The Dream Year blog (thedreamyear.blogspot.com) know that Alan and I like to travel -- we enjoy being outdoors, hiking, and CA is one of our favorite places to do that and more. So even though we had terrible weather (I admit that it wasn't as bad as at home but still...it rained every day!). We had wonderful connecting times with old friends and family and stayed in Lafayette (outside Berkeley), Point Reyes, and Sebastopol. Went on a personal wine tour at Bouchaine Vineyards in Napa (thanks again, Andrew), to see a very good local production of The Glass Menagerie, saw a documentary about the folk-singer Phil Ochs, went to one of my favorite stores (the Spirit Matters outside Inverness. I especially love their Quan Yin and Tara sculptures), took beach photos, took a few hikes (last photo is of our picnic at windy spot by the ocean before turning around for the 4.5 mile trek back), and ate some incredible CA -- local, organic -- meals.
Wonderful to get away in the winter, especially during this seemingly extended one.

Inspired by Zen Habits

Some of you may have seen Leo Babauta's blog zen habits listed in the sidebar (under Currently Inspired By). I've had it listed there for a while, but haven't written about why I find it inspiring.

The blog is very simple, even stark. White with black text, no images, no ads, no lists, boxes, or sidebars. He writes about mindfulness, productivity, and minimalism, and many of the posts are written as lists or how to's. The advice is generally concise, helpful, and easy to read. Implementation, however, is always more challenging. Sometimes I can get lost in reading through the archives, but I find the most effective way for me to use his blog is to limit myself to reading one or two posts at a time on a topic I feel that I need a push on at that moment.

As recommended by Leo Babauta (and many other experts on time management), I have cut back a lot on the amount of information I take in, including the number of blogs I read. In fact, zen habits is now the only blog I peruse on a regular basis. I find that it is one of the few blogs that inspires me to do something more than just read more blogs.

If you have not visited zen habits yet, here are a few posts well worth checking out. I also recommend looking through the archives.

Monk Mind: How to Increase Your Focus
Top 20 Motivation Hacks - An Overview
Minimalist Fun: The 100 Things Challenge
lessons from a car-free life

Photo Friday

 A mother-daughter project.

We both post a photo every Friday - no description, just a moment from the week we want to capture and remember.

Inspired by SouleMama's {this moment} and 3191 (blog and book).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meditation Practice - The Basics

The #1 biggest misconception about meditation practice is that it involves clearing the mind of thought, like you sit down and pull some kind of meditation emergency brake. Or at the very least, if you can’t stop thought altogether, you should at least have only peaceful, positive thoughts. Susan Piver 

There are many ways to meditate, many schools that teach different techniques, and certainly a history and an association with various spiritual and religious practices. There are also misconceptions about the practice. So many people I have spoken with say, "I could never meditate", "I can't be still", "I can't not think," or "I'm just not calm enough." Defeated before they begin. So, here are some foolproof steps to an easy beginning practice.

Cardiologist Dr Herbert Benson simplified meditation for his patients through a technique he termed The Relaxation Response.  His book by the same name, originally published in the 1970s, has become a perennial best-seller.


The Relaxation Response distilled the basics of meditation practice to the following four components:

1. Sitting in a Comfortable Position in a 
2. Quiet Environment

3. Using A Mental Device - a focal point; an object to look at like a candle, or a word or phrase to repeat (called a Mantra)

To shift the mind from logical, externally oriented thought, there should be a constant stimulus: a sound, word, or phrase repeated silently or aloud; or fixing gazing at an object.   Since one of the major difficulties in the elicitation of the Relaxation Response is "mind wandering," the repetition of the word or phrase is a way to help break the train of distracting thoughts.  Your eyes are usually closed if you are using a repeated sound or word; of course your eyes are open if you are gazing. Attention to the normal rhythm of breathing is also useful and enhances the repetition of the sound or the word.

4. A Passive Attitude

When distracting thoughts occur, they are to be disregarded and attention redirected to the repetition or gazing; you should not worry about how well you are performing the technique, because this may well prevent the Relaxation Response from occurring.   Adopt a "let it happen" attitude.  The passive attitude is perhaps the most important element in eliciting the Relaxation Response.  Distracting thoughts will occur.  Do not worry about them.  When these thoughts do present themselves and you become aware of them, simply return to the repetition of the mental device.  These other thoughts do not mean you are performing the technique incorrectly.  They are to be expected."

Read more about the Steps to Elicit the Relaxation Response.

Photo Friday

A mother-daughter project.

We both post a photo every Friday - no description, just a moment from the week we want to capture and remember.

Inspired by SouleMama's {this moment} and 3191 (blog and book).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meditation Inspiration - more Gail Straub

In a previous post, I mentioned Gail Straub's book Circle of Compassion. I am still finding myself inspired by the short meditations and gentle reminders throughout this little gem of a book.

I don't spend a lot of time in the car, but usually when I am in the car alone, I listen to news or music. Today, I decided on silence. This evening I was leafing through Gail's book, and this page caught my eye:

"When I am alone driving in my car I use this as quiet time; I empty out, I pray, I remember what I am grateful for, I am quiet."

The silence was good. My mind was still busy within that, but I feel I am more conscious of that busyness now. Meditation has helped give me that moment of awareness about what's going on in my head, and at that moment I have a choice to continue or not. When I fill the quiet with music or news, it distracts me, and I don't notice my thoughts. That moment of awareness doesn't come, or is easily missed. The quiet is important for me. I strive to be aware even in the loud and distracting moments, but Gail reminds me to create quiet in-between time in which to practice bringing greater awareness from the meditation cushion into the rest of my life.