Feng Shui and Fuzzy Mascots

Working from home can be quite an adjustment. First of all, there are so many distractions that wouldn't normally be on hand in your typical office. Like a kitchen stocked with junk food, a television with My-Sky in the next room, a bookcase full of goodies screaming to be read, and a restless little dog who'd rather play fetch with his rubber gorilla than watch someone sit at a desk and type.

Going into this fulltime freelancing thing I knew discipline and temptation would be two of the hardest things to balance. Going from an office situation where you're locked in to an 8.30 to 5 routine, there seems to be an abundance of freedom when you first start working from home. So getting into the mindset that I'd need to stick to my own schedule, begin the work day as usual, and leave the tele off until after 6pm has been a non-negotiable part of my fabulous new life.

Keeping the area where I work relatively clutter free has also been one of the challenges. Not that Mr Wonderful and I are significantly messy, but as an only child and a youngest of three we've probably both struggled with the fact that mess doesn't just take care of itself once you're all grown up. And working surrounded by bills yet-to-be-paid, dishes waiting to be washed and other bit and bobs yet to be put in their rightful places would be enough to drive anyone to distraction.

Last week, much to the excitement of my inner geek and new-found inner housewife, I feng-shui-ed my space. Gone is the rickety little desk facing in to the corner of the wall. Unpacked are the boxes of newspaper clippings from a previous job waiting to be filed. And entirely bare is the kitchen countertop, which usually defaults as being the receptacle for anything that might need our attention.

I also bought myself a shiny new desk and oh-so-comfortable office chair as my first business purchase, and have set them up facing out from the wall so I can survey my happy little home, and keep an eye on the ever-mischievous Alfie. Who, by the way, has become rather fond of jumping up on my knee while I'm working.

So I've found him a great little possie to sit and do some surveying himself when he's feeling a little attention-needy (and if you're tisk-tisking at the photo and thinking he looks unhappy, he's not. I can assure you he loves it up there, he's just not a big fan of the camera). It may make the new desk a little less streamlined, but I think every office should have one. Imagine how much everyone's mood would improve if they could have their own fuzzy mascot, quietly giving a nod, sniff or wink of approval should they be asked if the latest work you've produced is as brilliant as you suspect?