Two years ago I moved my office home. What I thought would be an awkward hassle has turned into a wonderful blessing for both my family and me. There are three rituals that have settled in my home office routine—rituals not possible in a corporate office—that I’ve grown to love.
1. Morning Recliner
I’m the earliest riser in the house. Like, way early, sometimes before 4 AM. I’m tossing in bed thinking about the great day ahead of me. I get up, make some coffee, grab my Macbook Air and jump into my recliner.
I love this time in the morning. I don’t always pop open the computer right away. I read a book. I sit in silence. I pray. It is always quiet and surreal. My day begins in tranquility.
2. Afternoon Nap
On Sunday afternoons, I like to go all out and take a good 60-90 minute zonker. But most work days I just kick my feet up on my desk and take a short 10 to 20 minute nap. In fact, I purposely keep an old desk chair that has a comfortable neck rest because of this. Seems like most new chairs don’t have this, and it is a must-have in my home office.
Honestly, I believe I’m much more productive when I slip in the nap. I usually kick right back into the swing of things, just like I do in the morning. I dive back into work and get things done.
3. Evening Dinner
I very rarely work through dinner. Wendy sends one of the kids down to get me, and they love telling me it’s time to eat. I walk upstairs and we say a prayer as a family. We hold hands around the kitchen island and give thanks for God’s provisions.
Sometimes one of the rituals is foiled. I stay up late and get up late, I skip the nap, or I have a pressing project that pushes me through dinner. It doesn’t knock me off too bad, but when it does, I know it isn’t right. I quickly get back to my rituals.
You’d have to pay me a lot of money to get me back into the corporate cubicle. Like, six-figures, man. This life is too good.
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Are you still able to incorporate your kids into your family business endeavors, or do you have to keep them out to get anything done? I think working so close to the family would be great, except it must take a lot of discipline to balance time working vs. time with them. Do you follow a regular schedule to help with that? Just wondering how you make it work.
Great question! I incorporate them where I can, and it is a balancing routine sometimes. Having part of the home intentionally separate to make it work out definitely helps.
Up by 4, Sunday nap, dinner with family – sounds like my house, but more so since we are empty nesters! Wasn’t so good at the first 2 when the kids were still home!
I’ve got a good 20 years before my nest is empty. Making due till then! =)