Entrepreneurs in Underwear: Liberation from the 9-5 Work Day
Entrepreneurs have long forgotten, or have never known the meaning of a 9 to 5 job. Gone are the days of leaving your work at the office, especially because many of us work from our home offices, which could be anything from a kitchen table to a separate room. Today’s work environment has spawned a new generation of goal-driven, dream pursuing, underwear-donning professionals.
I often wake up in the morning with a new idea for an article, chapter in an upcoming book, a story for one of my speeches, or another form of inspiration. While I keep a notepad at my bedside, my thoughts are usually going so fast that pen and paper can’t keep up. And while I know I’m supposed to wake up and go out for a walk, swim, or workout right away, I also am keenly aware of my brain’s limitations, especially in the morning. If I don’t get straight to my office and capture my thoughts in a document, they’ll disappear, probably to the same place where my single socks have gone.
So instead of working out, I begin my long commute to the office repeating the thoughts or ideas for the entire commute so I don’t lose the inspiration. During those 20 steps from my bed to my office, the bathroom, kitchen, or outside deck could easily distract me. I try to stay focused until I sit down and get the thoughts into a place on the computer where they’ll be safe. Once the thoughts are recorded, I can relax and make an espresso. Then it’s back to the desk to expand on the ideas and it’s usually an hour or two before I realize I’m sitting in my underwear. It turns out that I get some of my best early morning writing done wearing whatever I woke up in, even if it’s my underwear.
If you work from home, you know what I mean. Admit it, you too sometimes work in your underwear. If you’re an entrepreneur like me, you’re always on, always working, and it doesn’t matter what you’re wearing because the task must be done. (Of course, my Skype coaching calls are another story and if I’m coaching you via Skype, rest assured I’m always dressed because I tend to stand up when I speak!)
True confessions time: when you work at home, what do you wear? It’s okay; there are no judgments because while we may be individual entrepreneurs, we’re all in this together.
