Even though we live and work in the digital age there are times when an old fashioned paper and pen just can't be beaten.
Every journalist needs to make sure that they have a pen and paper handy. Even though I'm an iPad addict, using it with Evernote for most of my note-taking, there are times when it just not possible to use the iPad or a laptop. For example, you may need to stand or, at the end of a busy day, you may be out of power with no access to a power outlet for recharging.
handy in the office for making notes when something pops into my head. Also, there are times when I prefer to use pen and paper – it can be a kind of therapy.
as the front cover flips back rather than opening like a regular book.
With pens, I've learned that you're actually buying two things. The body of the pen is important and the type of refill is. A good pen store will left you mix and match in order to get the best fit.
I have two pens that I use regularly. One is a Rotring multi-pen that support four different writing tips. It simultaneously holds a black refill (I prefer black to blue), a red refill, a mechanical pencil and a stylus.
With the Rotring, I use LAMY refills that are found at most of the stationers local to me. These are comfortable to write with, flowing nicely over paper without slipping or offering too much resistance.
The other pen I use is a Fischer Space pen. This isn't as comfortable to write with but the Fischer system is engineered so that you can write on just about any angle. This is handy when I need to take notes leaning on a wall or some other uncomfortable writing position.
is available from the Amazon Store.
I maintain that almost anyone can be taught to be a good writer. Sure, for some people it comes naturally but with sufficient effort I think anyone can write well. If you don't have the time or money to attend a writing course, there's plenty of help available. I suggest that anyone who needs to write clearly for an audience – and that means just about anyone in business – could do worse than get copies of these two books.
I read The Elements of Style once a year. It's short – it only takes a couple of hours to run through. The Grammar Devotional is new to me but I intend to visit it regularly to make sure I don't fall into bad habits.
Written by E. B White, the author of Charlotte's Web and his student William Strunk, The Elements of Style is a great guide in the correct use of the English language. Unlike the grammar books we all grew up with at school, The Elements of Style presents its information in a simple format.
It describes a set of 18 rules as well as some other guidelines such as commonly misspelt words and misused phrases. Rather than doing this with a bunch of technical rules, it simply presents each rule by showing an error and a correction. Each is presented in simple, non-technical language.
The Grammar Devotional by Mignon Fogarty was recommended to me by Valerie Khoo. It's designed to be read each day.
Divided into readings for each day of the year, it focuses on short rules like when to use use "whom" and "who". There are also sections on people who were important in the development of the English language and weekly quizzes to test your knowledge.
Like The Elements of Style, most of The Grammar Devotional is presented in non-technical terms so it can be picked up by anyone wanting to improve their writing.
One of the great benefits of self-employment is being able to work from home. While that sounds like fun, there are lots of challenges. Being productive at home takes discipline and organisation. That means establishing an area that is clearly for work.
When you're working from home you need to set aside an area that is designated as a workspace. If you've got a young family, you'll need to find a way to quarantine your work space. If you're working from a shared home space, like a dining-room or kitchen table, you'll need to train your family into making it a "Do not disturb" area during working times. I know that can be difficult – my family was pretty young when I started freelancing – but you need to find a way. That can be by setting some rules.
For example, you can designate certain times to be work times when you can't be distracted. Or, you can set your working hours to work around your family commitments. If your kids attend school or kindergarten, you can set your working hours so that you work when the children are out. Then you can give your family some attention when they're home but focus when they're out.
It doesn't matter how you use the "time quarantine" method but it's important that if you find a way that works for you.
The problem with just being able to quarantine time to work means that you need to be able pack up your office. If you struggle with keeping your research and other notes in order then it's worth looking at online tools like Evernote (that I've written about before) to help you keep organised.
If you have the luxury of a dedicated workspace then many of your productivity challenges are already taken care of. However, are you getting the best bang for buck from that space?
If you use a laptop as you main work computer, it's a good idea to elevate it so that the display is at an ergonomically appropriate height. The rule of thumb is to have the top of the display at your eye level. The cheapest way to do this is with a couple of phone books although there are lots of more aesthetically pleasing options around.
With the laptop elevated, you'll also need a mouse and keyboard. The best combination is the one you're most comfortable using. Many computer stores have several models on display. Try a few out to see which are best for you.
If you have a desktop computer, the same rules apply.
One thing to consider if you have the desk space and budget is a dual screen (sometimes called a two-head) set up. This is where your computer desktop spans across two screens. The productivity benefits are substantial as you can have two applications open at once. For example, if you use Google Books for research and type into your preferred text editor you can have both open side-by-side. There's myriad research supporting the productivity benefits. Just Google "dual screen productivity" to find some for the research.
Regardless of where you set up your workspace, there are a few things that I find helpful. Here's a short list.
Keep your workspace tidy. Having lots of stuff you don't need on your workspace distracts you.
Remove distractions. If there's something in your workspace that breaks your concentration, get rid of it.
Have a filing system that works for you (here's mine).
Cleanliness – I find I work better when my office is clean. That means vacuuming each week (at least), emptying the rubbish and recycling bins before they overflow and not leaving junk on the desk.
Make sure you designate your work area as a work area and that while you're working, it's a "no-fly zone" for others.
So, what are your home office productivity tips? Does a "no-fly zone" work for you? Tell us what works for you in the comments.