Waiting in the hospital between Accident & Emergency and an operation gave me a lot of time to think. At first, it makes you upset. You’ve lost (albeit in my case temporarily) the ability to move and function as you usually would. The prospect of getting on with day to day activities is very daunting.
I wouldn’t say I was super fit but I’m active enough that I’m not unhealthy. During the first few weeks moving around at all is frustrating and incredibly tiring. I don’t think I’ve been in so much constant pain, ever.
As bad luck would have it, I broke my leg just as I decided to go freelance. I did have some work lined up but this got delayed. Not working for 4 weeks takes it’s toll.
Feeling flat
It’s hard to motivate yourself. Everything is a struggle and lying in bed is a far more attractive idea. It’s easy to fall into a lazy routine. That lazy routine feels great for a while. The busy lifestyle I have is forced into a well needed respite. I’m known for working 24/7, even on holiday. But after a couple of weeks, the sofa feels comfortable. It’s cold and wet outside. The dog is happily snuggled by your side. Why move?
I realised that not having a regular day-to-day job can make your self-esteem start to flag. You begin to question your skills? Whether you’ve made the right decision to go it alone? I’ve run a startup from start through to a global product. These questions run through your head every day.
Getting out and about
Working from home takes a certain discipline. It’s ideal to have a well focused work space. Somewhere away from distractions of a TV. A good chair that supports an upright (and not sofa-horizontal) position. Setting some routine and a structure for working. Knowing what you want to achieve each day all helps. The other motivator is actually getting out of the house.
Finding my buzz again
Meeting up with different clients. Spending time in their offices discussing their challenges. Getting the post-it’s outlining who their users are and their needs. I love helping people. Seeing others get excited about understanding how they can approach their problem. I get in a flow and have a rush of ideas. This is where my self-esteem and confidence is. That’s when I know I’ve made the right choices.
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