The beginning of a new year is a good time to clean house, both physically and metaphorically. When you work for yourself, your environment is very important. Old habits, inconveniences long ignored, clutter and material obsolescence, all need periodically to be shaken out in the light of day.
Sometimes the simplest changes can have the most profound effects. In recent months I have had difficulty in connecting with my partner, only achieving good business communication over extended breakfast or lunch dates - not very cost effective if you are living on a shoestring! Today I took a good look at my home office space (which also doubles as my absent college son's room and the TV and computer media center). When my partner returns from his "day job," his tendency is to switch on "Two-and-a-Half Men" and zone out for the rest of the evening. The TV was the focus of the room layout; we had to twist awkwardly to converse and it was impossible to maintain eye contact.
So, today I took the whole room apart, stuffed the TV in a corner and set up the two armchairs at a 90 degree angle to each other in the bay window, with a table between them. This positioning automatically draws the eyes to the other person. Also, the tables at the right of each chair allow us to have our computers/note pads handy. We're also close enough to rub each others' feet!
Making a virtue of necessity, I will probably retire the TV anyway. The cable rates are going up and it will be better for the budget to rely on my Internet service provider both for work and entertainment.
More anon.
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