Pajama Productivity

It’s one of those inescapable facts: we get more done with the environment surrounding us is clean and orderly.

That’s why one of the best things you can do for yourself on a daily basis to pump up your productivity is to make your bed — something that’s especially true for us couch warriors and home office wranglers.

Couple that with a time-honored tradition — i.e., “spring cleaning” — and you’ve got an excellent opportunity to gain some real momentum in your productivity program. A few suggestions:

• Go through closets and the rest of the house, and pack up all the old stuff you haven’t touched in months. Donate it all to your local food/clothing bank.
• Sweep, dust, vacuum and mop the floors — then consider adopting a “no shoes in the house” policy. We did this at Chez Annie several months ago, and our allergy symptoms have almost vanished. It’s hard to focus on work when you can’t breathe fully, y’know…
• Air out rugs and cushions, and then open up the windows. Sunshine and cool spring air are the best disinfectants and air fresheners around.
• If you’re interested in getting this done without all the chemicals, you can use household and kitchen supplies you probably already have on-hand instead. Check out these recipes.

Inspect Your Foundations

Spring’s also a good time to take a look at your foundations — not of your house, mind you, but of your business.

Have you gotten your taxes in order?

Is your business of the right entity-type for you and your needs?

If your business model requires them, do you have your contracts in order?  Do you even have them at all?

How’s your decision-making when it comes to spending your hours-per-week allotment?

Is your client list in desperate need of culling? Are there folks on there who cause you to cringe when they call or email?

And on the meta-level: are you basically on the right track? Are you building the kind of life — let alone business — that you really want in your heart of hearts?

Pretty Up the Place

Y’all can laugh, but I’ll tell you this with complete conviction: I get more shit done on the days I make my bed.

I also get more shit done when my home office surroundings (wherever that might be on a particular day — couch, bed, table and chair in the dining room) are clean, orderly, and pretty. When there are candles and flowers and inspiring art to look at. I don’t find myself staring at them all day — far from it. But when I do happen to look up and see a little touch of pretty there, I feel energized and together.

I’ll also make a confession here: Even though I still believe whole-heartedly in the Pajama Principle (that you can run a business in your PJs and still do good work), I’ve lately been putting forth a wee bit more effort. A little makeup, some attention to the hair, a clean shirt, even — these things work wonders for my attention span and confidence level.

Spring It On Me

What other ideas do you have for spring cleaning your business? Share them in the comments!