Working for myself is an interesting experiment on discovering my most optimal environment, schedule and conditions in order to eek out the highest quality work from my employee #1: me.

I’m only four days in, but there are already two major ways I am able to feel more comfortable in my working environment: my attire, and my space.

For example, take shoes:

I love heels.  I love the way they look.  But I absolutely hate trudging the 3/4 mile I walk to the 2/3 subway line in heels.  And I hate having to change shoes before walking into work.  And honestly, they really hurt your back.  To me, little is better than an easy, comfy pair of Vans.

Next, let’s look at office space:

I adored working on a trading floor.  There was a buzz, an excitement.  But there were downsides, like constant interruptions and many distractions.  And I was restricted to a small sliver of a long, shared desk.  Not so anymore.  I spread out, I move around, I create planning boards on my walls and pepper them with post-its.

Life is expanding, and getting simpler, all at once.