Blurring the lines between work and play everyday...

This has been my motto for the last 6 years. 6 years upon moving into this lovely little farm lifestyle, I've been using this as a tag for my blog, too. This is nothing new to me. I work. I play. I work. I play. :) all day. And I'm probably more productive NOW than I was 15 years younger.

Clients that use my services know they can reach me any hour of any day. But, they also know that I might have to call them back when the parrots are screaming. Or the goats are kidding. Yes!!! This periodically does happen. And I'm very lucky to have clients that appreciate this. Or put up with this. But on the flip side to this, I'm available at my desk to answer the phone 99% of the time. TO work on quick projects. To brainstorm. Whatever it is they need,  I'm there.

I bring the phone outside with me if i'm going to work on the farm. And if a client calls with a change. Or new project, etc. I'm only 30ft from my office. I have never missed a deadline. I've never NOT had to choose between farm and project. I've always been able to manage them both quite easily. NOT so in the past. Not easy to have appointments, emergencies pop up and have your boss happy to let you go take care of them. Before this any outside life was a thorn in any bosses side. And when you are single and running a household, with animals, trust me, this is difficult. At least with a spouse one can split the necessary things like bringing the car in for repairs, taking kids to the doctors, etc. But when single this doesn't bode well with employers. I have to do everything. And therefore take time off for these things.

Working from home does not minimize my professionalism.
It maximizes my ability to work more. Be more productive.

It gives me the opportunity to not burn out. To take breaks doing what i already love doing. And it's highly efficient for both sides. I'm not sitting in an office, on site, doing what i call "face time". They aren't paying for my downtime, I am. And i'm making good use of it on the farm. And i'm not getting frustrated sitting in an office, knowing that this project only needs 4 hours of attention. And nothing else is on my plate, but i've got to put in the full 8 hours.  I've done that for 20 years at various ad agencies I've worked for. I always found it frustrating. In my industry in particular, you can be thinking of a project idea, while doing something wholly different. My favorite? mucking out stalls. Some people are more creative at certain times, I'm more creative when shoveling manure. hmmm.

Yes i blurr the lines daily, but, also on my terms. I still charge a rush fee when a client calls me at 5:30pm on a Friday, expecting work for Monday 9 am. I still stop and start at "normal" hours. Working the farm at lunch and then again at 7 pm. I do let them know when I'm taking a full day off. Meaning outside the computer tentacles. Or sometimes the phone will be off. I still get dressed to work everyday. Granted its jeans and tshirt. I still take an hour or so for lunch. I don't let myself get taken advantage of.

The funny thing is there is a new moniker for this.

Its called "weisuring".

I don't like it. Sounds too much like weasel-ing. CNN put out a non productive poll. I'm at the highest in terms of "weisuring". Nothing new for me. But obviously, a new trend in the masses?

I hope we all trend this way. It's healthier. Its more productive. It's cheaper. For the client and more cost effective for me. I don't have to travel much anymore. Except for the odd meeting. Or the rare photoshoot. Or press run. It's without a doubt more fun. Honestly, I think it takes less time to do a project from home than if i was working in a
crowded, noisey, gotta drive to work office. Gone are the days of
getting there and needing time to unwind from the hellish traffic jam.
Gone are the days i need coffee and breakfast. Gone are the days i need
to worry about what i'm wearing to work. Gone are the office politicking. Gone are the days i have make
appointments months in advance. Or vacations. Gone are the days i have
to separate my passions. I can and willingly will work an 8 hour day. In a go to environment, you're lucky to get 5-6 productive hours out of your employees.

It's taken me a while though to get companies on board. Mostly agencies. Not so much end-user businesses who they themselves might have a working office from home. Its the larger agencies that love "face time". It's trying to get them to TRUST that i'm not goofing off, yet charging. Or any of the myriad other things that they surmise those of us that work from home do, or don't do. But once they see the benefits to them, and the quality of work from you, the comfort level rises.

This lifestyle is way too important to me, to screw it up, by somehow losing their trust. Or not making deadlines. OR not being available at all times. I'm trying to keep my job. And these perks.  Sometimes I find myself charging a tad less just to ensure the client happiness on final. I want them to feel comfortable knowing that this is a great way to work. For both of us. And I hope that "Weisuring" takes hold so that I can continue to do just that. Weisure!