Home Office or Not…
When Keller Williams Maui started offering offices and cubicles to team members for a monthly fee, it was a godsend to many agents. I even considered signing up because I thought I might get more referrals if I spent more time at the office.
The thing is, I have a pretty nice office set up at home, where I’m not distracted by office politics or other agents, and I have the flexibility to do a lot of different things. I can practice my scripts and do my daily affirmations without feeling self-conscious, and if my office is a mess, no one really cares.
When I set up my office at home, I decided not to take one of the bedrooms. Unlike my husband Peter, who treasures his own little space, I decided I would feel isolated, so I set up my office in a corner of our living room. I like open spaces and the feeling of being outside when I look out the windows at our beautiful island view.
It works great most of the time, but it does have its drawbacks. For instance, Peter comes by occasionally and starts a conversation with me on his way to the kitchen, which I only half-listen to, and then have no memory of, which often results in confusion later — “But we talked about this the other day!” If I stop and give him my full attention, I lose my train of thought or the flow of what I’m doing and have to start over.
The inability to close a door to control the traffic through my office has other downsides. Widgit, my cat, likes to “help”, and my clean (or not so clean) desk is often her favorite place to sleep. Moosh, my other cat, is convinced that when we’re on the phone, we’re talking to her, so she jumps up onto my lap and starts meowing incessantly. She also likes to lay on top of my hand across the keyboard, and reach out from that vantage point to attack my mouse hand until I start petting her with it.
A home office has its pros and cons. I could do without the distractions, but in a way, they remind me of what life is really about, and why I gave up office life to begin with. And at the end of the day, the view outside transforms into a sunset. How many of those have I missed over the years, being stuck in an office?
