TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Many thanks to everyone who responded both on- and off-list. Your advice is invaluable. It helps to know that others have been where I'm about to go and have been successful at it. At the beginning, my situation is going to involve some struggling because I'm going to be bouncing back and forth between Chicago and northern lower Michigan until our house in Chicago sells. Then I'll be able to telecommute full-time with just some occasional visits to the office.
The house we're moving into (temporarily until we buy or build a bigger one within the next year) is *tiny*, so I have to set up my desk in the main living area whether I like it or not. Based on the advice I got from everyone, though, I'm going to create a secluded work area by strategically placing some bookshelves alongside my desk in a corner of the room (near a window to keep it from feeling like a jail cell). That will be my work area, and I'll make sure that my family knows not to bother me while I'm there.
Every morning, our boss pays a short visit to each of us so we can briefly update her on what we're working on. I will continue that daily meeting via the phone because it helps me to set my priorities for the day and gives her a chance to shift priorities around as she sees fit. It also gives me daily contact with her so she knows that I'm actually working. Then, for the rest of the day, I'm free to work when and how I please, as long as the work gets done. I like the little bit of guidance so I know what she expects of me and then the freedom to do the job.
Self-discipline is going to be crucial. I like the idea of using some sort of a program to log my hours, so I will get something to do that with. I don't have a Palm, so maybe now is the time to break down and get one. What I also think will work for me is to chunk up my work time and allow short breaks between. If I know that I can goof off for 15 minutes after I put in 90 minutes, I can make it through that 90 minutes easily. During these (in)sanity breaks, I can water or weed my garden, play a game on Pogo, rearrange the living room, start dinner or a load of laundry, watch the hummingbirds outside my window, or whatever else strikes my fancy. I think a simple cooking timer will help me keep on track so I don't forget to go back to work--or to forget to stop working for a while, for that matter.
If I plan my work days, allow myself to earn some occasional sanity breaks, and stick to my schedule, I should have more free time than I have in the last few years. That time and the 10+ waking hours that I would otherwise spend hung up in traffic during the week will be better spent playing with my kids, working on my garden, or doing some new hobbies that I plan to take up. You have no idea how much I'm looking forward to this. :-)
Thanks again, everyone!
Donna
Donna L. Jones
--------------------------------------
Technical Writer II
Zebra Technologies Corp.
Vernon Hills, IL
djones -at- zebra -dot- com
- CONFIDENTIAL-
This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential, and may also be legally privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, you may not review, use, copy, or distribute this message. If you receive this email in error, please notify the sender immediately by reply email and then delete this email.
New from Quadralay Corporation: WebWorks ePublisher Pro! Easily create
14 online formats, including 6 Help systems, in a project-based
workflow. Live, online demo! http://www.webworks.com/techwr-l
Doc-To-Help 2005 now has RoboHelp Converter and HTML Source: Author
content and configure Help in MS Word or any HTML editor. No
proprietary editor! *August release. http://www.componentone.com/TECHWRL/DocToHelp2005
---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as:
archiver -at- techwr-l -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Send administrative questions to lisa -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit http://www.techwr-l.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.
