Where is your Office ?

I was just reading a blog post written by an extremely smart & talented lady titled Am I Normal?
It made me realize that not only is my view of "normal" very much like Jackie's - but the way I think about my office, workplace & home office aren't exactly "normal" either.

What do most of us picture when we talk about our office? Most immediately think about their 6'X6' cubicle at work filled with paperwork & a computer crammed in one corner. You are made to feel as though you are fortunate if you get one of those hanging cabinets on your cubicle wall to cram MORE paperwork into. You also get a rolling chair that, if you are like me, you have to write your name on somewhere no one knows about so when it's stolen, you can go find it and prove it's really yours.

This is the space you are grudgingly given in which to do your job for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week - minimum. Most of us forget that we literally spend 40 or more hours a week (voluntarily) in a space that is considered too small to be humane for prisoners that have committed murder.

I don't know about your office at work, but many have high walls to give a false sense of privacy. False because, believe me, everyone can hear every word you say.

While giving you this false sense of privacy they are actually completely blocking your view of the outside world. Many workplaces intentionally block views from windows. Why? It's distracting and not conducive to productivity.

Boggles the mind, doesn't it? The things that we put up with for that false sense of security called a Paycheck.

Why is that considered "Normal?" On the other hand, it's Sunday and since I'm one of those people that still goes into a job Monday through Friday, today is a day for me to sit in my HOME office and work on what I WANT to work on. (Isn't it amazing how it never seems like work when it's something you want to do -- but I digress).

As I sit here in my office this morning, drinking a cup of coffee and waking up for the day. I look around me and I just have to say, I like my concept of "office" here better than where I have to sit 8-4 Monday through Friday.

I have an official Home Office. It's where I keep my printers, desktop computers, fax machine, scanner & office supplies. But after I purchased my laptop a few years ago, my office is anywhere I can sit and work on my business. I came downstairs this morning to my livingroom where my laptop is always plugged in and running. I sit here many mornings and work while the sun comes up. Archer, one of our greyhounds, lays by my side - supervising my work. Occasionally he gets up and puts his nose under my hand -- wanting his head scratched.

I'm listening to some music on my computer (something I can't do at work unless I use an MP3 player). As I write this article, I'm sitting with my feet up on the ottoman and watch my husband tinkering with his stereo equipment or surfing the web on his laptop. We chat about the day ahead and watch Archer as he's watching birds flying over the house. His eyes pick up things we would never notice without him there to point them out to us. We also giggle over some of the silly words our African Grey, BooBoo just said -- right before she sneezes and blesses herself. Life is good!

On weekends in the winter I sit and watch it snow from the comfort of my "office." We sometimes start a fire in the fireplace - that's definitely a benefit I don't have at my corporate job. I also don't need to worry about the traffic and if I'm going to get snowed in at work - or how long the snowy commute back home is going to take.

On weekends in the spring and summer, I sit on our back patio instead of in my livingroom. I watch the kids next door play in their pool and our greyhounds bask in the sun. I am soothed and inspired by the sound of the waterfall as it falls over the rocks & I smile as Archer supervises the goldfish swimming in the pond. Somehow, it never seems like WORK.

In the fall, I bundle into a coat with a blanket and determinedly sit outside on my patio to work. It's bittersweet because I know that soon I'll be watching the weather from behind the glass in my livingroom until mother nature blooms again in the spring and the weather warms enough for me to bundle into a coat with a blanket and determinedly sit outside on my patio to work - eagerly waiting for warmer weather.

People often ask my why I work so hard, so constantly, so consistently on my home business. They want to know why I don't take a break, give it a rest, play, relax, just chill. They know I have a good job & want to know why I'm not happy with that ... why isn't just complaining about my job enough. This is the "Normal" thing to do, right?

Because ... I dare to dream! I'm reaching for the Brass Ring! I have a goal, a plan and I'm stickin' to it!

Because ... why would I want to work in a 6'X6' cell when I can work HERE? Because when Sunday is finally over I only get to work from my perfect office early in the morning as the sun comes up. After I get home from my corporate job, I'll sit in my "office" while I watch another perfect sunset and I'm even more determined to not be "normal" ... to reach my goal of independence from the corporate world.

These are the things I'll miss when I finally put my laptop down on Monday through Friday mornings, get dressed & drive into my corporate job. Where my 6'X6' cubicle with it's high walls, false privacy & no sunshine is waiting for me and I once more go looking for my chair that has been stolen.