It might sound like a paradox but you can get most of your work done from your bed. If you work from home, the following How to will give you some tips on how to enjoy the experience of getting stuff done from the best place in the world.
I feel all the more confident sharing this as I’m used to work from my bed when my back is in pain or I just need to feel focused AND comfortable at the same time.
I became convinced of the efficiency of this process back in 95, when I successfully passed a critical set of university exams spending most of my time memorizing and rehearsing my classes in my bed. This taught me that in some cases, comfort actually helps my mind perform at its best. I’ve been constantly improving this process since.
My own testimonial might not be enough to prove my point, though, so I invite you to look at famous figures like Mark Twain, Emmanuel Kant, Marcel Proust or Leonardo Da Vinci, these people worked in their bed too, and there is no doubt that they achieved a lot (more famous people who worked in their bed here).
The idea that the office is the best place to work is wrong, it simply depends on your state and the kind of work you need to do.
According to my experience, you can do most of your critical tasks in bed:
- Planning/Scheduling
- Coding
- Writing: email, letters, administrative tasks
- Making calls
- Personal development routines: affirmations and conditioning
Anything that doesn’t require my physical presence, basically. The simple rules exposed below will give you the right setting and the right mindset to get the best out of yourself in bed :)
If you decide to give it a try, you might be surprised to see that you actually perform with greater productivity, but more importantly: with pleasure.
So let’s get started with setting up your new work environment:
Setting up your bed for work
If you decide to operate from your bed, make sure that:
– Your back is well supported: ideally, use a reading pillow.
– Everything your need is in around you: have everything handy so you can stay focused a few hours in a row:
- Paperwork (you might want to place a small bookshelf next to you bed so everything is within your reach).
- Pens
- envelopes, stamps
- Phone (ideally your cell phone, so that you don’t have to run around in the house when somebody else is using it)
- Laptop
- laptop bed table, they come in all shapes and styles and they will make you feel like you dominate the world right from your comforter.
- Trashcan next to your bed…it’s amazing the amount of garbage we pile up when we work.
Tell them not to interrupt you
If you’re not living on your own you will need to tell people around you that you’re actually working.
If you don’t, they will usually think that you’re just resting and that they can interrupt you as they please, don’t blame them if they have been used to see you in your bed to sleep or watch TV, but you need to get their support by explaining that now you are going to work there.
They will quickly understand, provided you actually work…;-)
They will also help you keep your commitment to work in bed, since they are now your witnesses (you’re safe from cheating now).
I had no problem getting my girlfriend to let me work from my bed because she is nice and adaptative, but once again, I DO work from my bed, which means I look serious and focused.
Adopting the right mindset: more discipline, less guilt.
Your experience working in bed will be a success provided you set clear rules for yourself.
First, get rid of the guilt trip: some people feel they should be at their desk or in the office to do something. You probably already know that it’s wrong. You get things done where you can focus, so let go of the guilt trip.
But since you have to achieve things and stay focused, discipline is a requirement.
Here are the basic rules to make it work:
DOS
- Schedule your day: define what you want to achieve (Getting Things Done has helped me do that, I recommend it)
- Enjoy completely the privilege of relaxing your body in your bed, your mind will reward you by focusing easily.
- Take power naps if you need to > allow 20 mn, not more and use a timer. It’s a fact that a rested brain functions better.
- Leverage your relaxed state: your mind will surprise you by it’s creativity when it’s relaxed, you’ll have lots of ideas (if they are not related to what you’re doing just write them down for later use).
DON’TS
- Watch TV or Online videos (do I need to say more?)
- Facebook/Tweet
- Respond to calls other than work related (they can wait, as they would if you actually were in the office)
- Let people interrupt you (I know I’m repeating myself, but 50% of distractions will be avoided this way).
That’s about it, the chance is yours now to try it out for yourself, and let me know how it worked.
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