Image Improvement-Place and Image You Posses and Project Part 2

Regardless whether your office is at the Uptown Lofts or the downstairs corner living room office, to me is quite a joy to call myself “The Boss Lady.” The space you choose to labor in must be your sanctuary and you must define its boundaries before you are faced with a hostile family take over.

Having worked at one of the top 100 hospitals in the U.S. with the reputation of having a tough dress code, the care and thought I put into my wardrobe sucked half my day in. They felt office morale was reflected upon your personal appearance. Working at home may mean you are working in your jammies or in something that may make the UPS man blush. I`m not implying that you wear your Jimmy Chou heels and your Anne Klein to sit at home.

I am however recommending the following;

1. Dress up to mood up- My mother always said “people treat you according to the way you look” and “if you look good, you will feel good.” She didn`t mean if I lost 10lbs I look and feel good, she meant if you go out looking nice, you feel nice. I`m all about comfort ( I am sitting here in my comfy CK jeans and a cute Aeropostale Tshirt) but naked is also comfortable! Having a dress code can bring up your mood and overall “home office” morale. If you can`t receive a package or have to wear a robe to open the door, reconsider it.
2. Honor your work space- I have yet to see a myspace page that is not decorated to show the subject`s personality and brag about accomplishments. I am not suggesting you go wild and add wall art all over your office, but I am saying if this is your office, put up a sign. I recently printed my new logo on canvas and I love how it makes me feel. It is, besides my diplomas, the first tangible sign that my business even exists. Not all my diplomas are up in this picture… Where is my Penn State one???
3. You paid for the degree-And even if all you got was a piece of paper, show it off. Frame it and display it proudly. This is a career milestone that not only prepared you to do your job, but it is a proven psychological self esteem booster. Why do you think athletes are always overachievers? They have trophy cases! Even if all you have is your GED, put it up. Not only will you boost up your self esteem, but your pay may get a raise since “your boss” is very aware of your accomplishments!
4. Order in the room!- Can you find your pen? Or better yet, can you find your head? Think for a minute if you had a boss other than you, would she be appalled at the condition your desk is in? I understand the “this is my mess so don`t touch it” deal, because I am retentive about my routine and how this places the items I use daily on my desk. I expect that item to remain there until I move it. With that said, that stack of books on your desk isn`t pretty and that 2 inches of dust cannot be good for you. So unless your mother works here, and I know she doesn`t, then you need to clean it up. Having a sense of responsibility and organization for things like this will translate to sense of responsibility and organization for your clients.
5. Do not enter the Forbidden Room!-5 kids, 5 dogs and the 31 year old baby are in fact intimidated by the warning. But most importantly this one “If you like that mommy orders out, buys you nice clothes, cool shoes, neat toys and can take you out whenever you want… Then stay out of her office or she will NEVER order out, buy you nice clothes, cool shoes, neat toys and can take you out whenever you want.” The same goes for my “sacred pens”(I love Pilot`s fine point pens but those suckers are 9.99 a dozen!), my sacred papers, sacred magazines and books. There is no standing invitation to my office. So why are they here? Oh! You live upstairs! Darn it!

I know ever once in a while I have to rethink my strategy. But I can tell you this as a motivator, when I organized my office and defined it`s boundaries last year my output increased 3 times as much than when I hadn`t. Also did my income!

Love,
Elaine

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