ASK SARA
For years, independent workers camouflaged their freelance status, paying to join plug-and-play offices with impressive mailing addresses and executive-style meeting spaces. That’s when freelancing had second-class status, compared to having a “real” job. Now we know freelancing is a real job. And no one cares anymore whether you work in an office, at home, in a car, or in a café. It’s not about where you work, but how well.
With these shifts has come an explosion of new ways to work, from communal workplaces to worker-friendly office products and designs, making independent work way more productive, comfortable, and fun. In this chapter, we’ll cruise the options, wherever you call your freelance home.
It depends on what you can afford and how you work best. Some questions to consider:
1 Can you afford to rent space or cowork?
2 If you meet clients in your office, how will they (and you, and your family) feel about being in your home?
3 If your profession has workspace standards, can you meet them, working from home?
4 Do you have special requirements, such as having noisy equipment, needing 24-hour package reception, et cetera?
5 Will kids or family responsibilities pull you off-task at home?
6 Do you tend to get distracted by chores, hobbies, and stuff to do?
7 Do you get cabin fever if you don’t get out of the house?
8 Are you more productive when you’re with others?
9 Do you need total quiet for work?
10 Do you have a network of colleagues and friends to connect with?
Some people love working at home. When they want to meet people, they make a date to do so. Otherwise, they just focus on work.
Others find it isolating and prefer the energy that comes from having other working bodies nearby. If this is you, try these low-cost alternatives:
• Create a schedule that takes you regularly to the library, a favorite café or public space, or even a park bench.
• Build your Brain Trust and network so you can call people for input or just to talk.
• Join a coworking space.
• Rent office space with another indie.
• Work a part-time job until you can afford a rental.
If you work from home, you might be able to deduct your home office on your taxes as a business expense if it meets the IRS’s definition. If so, a proportion of your home costs, such as mortgage interest, rent, and more, can be deducted as business expenses. That lowers your business income—which lowers your self-employment taxes.
In order for a home office to be deductible, the IRS requires the space be used for your business on an exclusive and regular basis (exceptions: storing inventory or using part of your home as a day-care facility). “Exclusive” means that the space, whether a full room or a designated area of one, isn’t used for any other purpose. As for what “regular” means, think about it. You don’t use this space sometimes. It’s where you work.
You need to be able to answer “yes” to one of the following:
• You do most or all of your work there. If you work elsewhere, you need to be able to prove that your most important work’s done in your home office.
• You meet clients there regularly.
• There’s a separate structure on your property that you use only for business.
• You’re using your home regularly to store product samples or inventory. (This is allowable only if you don’t have a workplace or outside office you go to.)
• You operate an at-home day care center for children, adults aged sixty-five and older, or people who can’t take care of themselves. This has to be a regular, though not exclusive, use.
In the end, the home office deduction and everything that comes with it shouldn’t be guessed at. Check with your accountant to make sure you’re eligible.
Make sure you know the size of your home office in relation to the size of your house, since this affects the proportion of home expenses you can deduct.
Below are two calculation methods often used. Try both to determine which gives you the greater deduction:
1 Rooms:
number of rooms used for your work ÷ total number of rooms in your house (excluding closets, other storage, and bathrooms) = percentage of household expenses you can deduct
2 Square footage (assuming the rooms in your house are approximately the same size):
square footage of your work area ÷ your home’s total square footage (entryways, halls, stairs, garages, and attics can be excluded) = percentage of household expenses you can deduct
If possible, have one room just for your freelance work, so you’ve got the exclusive use rule totally handled. If you have to carve out space in a larger room, strategically located bookcases, files, sofas, or screens can help cordon off workspace from living space.
Once your office is set up, shoot some pix. You can also make a basic floor plan of your home, highlighting your office area. These can help support your claim (and your math) if questioned.
Keep great records showing that you seriously pursued your business (i.e., it’s not a hobby) from this space; for example, dates and times of client meetings, business cards, invoices, client proposals, and correspondence on letterhead showing your home office address as your official business mailing address. Keep receipts and bills for any household expenses you’ll be claiming as deductions (for details on bookkeeping and taxes, see Chapters 14 and 15).
Check out the IRS’s explanatory publication on the home office: IRS Publication 587, Business Use of Your Home. For IRS information for child care providers, see Child Care Tax Center (irs.gov/businesses/small/industries).
Like any business, you have two zones to protect: your physical office space and your virtual one. For the home-based freelancer, that means taking extra steps to secure the place where you live.
Increase insurance. Find out what your homeowners or renters insurance covers for your home office. You may want to get coverage especially designed for a home-based business. Losing a business on top of a home is a real risk for a home-based freelancer, so think about what you need in the way of coverage.
Shore up safety. Protect against fire and water damage. Some examples: smoke alarms, fire extinguishers (including in your office), water sensors.
Strengthen security. Consider upgrading your door and window locks or investing in a burglar alarm system. Even just adding a lock on your office door boosts security. Ground-floor office? All this goes double.
Defend your data. Get a quality shredder that shreds paper and disks. Get good antimalware protection and keep it up-to-date. Passwords can protect your network router and block access to your computer and to specific files (you can keep passwords in an unmarked address book or journal, or in some other hard-copy form, hidden in a place only you and another trusted person know). If necessary, consult a security-smart IT person about file encryption, software that can shred data, and other protections. Be sure your equipment is UL-listed (meets Underwriters Laboratories’ safety requirements)—important for insurance reasons, among others.
Have a disaster plan. If you had to pick up and leave fast, do you have important papers, licenses, permits, and certificates, passwords, backup files, and your laptop case ready to go? Think what you’d need to be up and running quickly, and what documents you need to keep on file or in a secure place off-site.
Here are some questions to ask:
Can I afford it? Cost it out; talk to your accountant or financial adviser. Can you bring in the income every month to pay the projected new cost?
How about sharing? Talk to a potential office mate or two. You might even formally team up: She’s the career coach; you’re the résumé whiz. Whatever you do, have a written agreement with a termination clause so no one is left with a lease they can’t afford alone.
Where’s best? Someone displaying merchandise needs a different setup (good foot traffic? window space?) than a therapist who sees clients (private and quiet? safe, easy parking?). Make a must-have list.
Can I work here at night and/or on weekends? Is the building open? Secure? Heat or air-conditioning on?
Are there any zoning restrictions or ordinances that could restrict my business?
What services does the lease include? For example: security, cleaning, telecommunications, and utilities? If utilities aren’t included, ask the utility company for usage and billing history. Ask if you’ll need to pay a security deposit on utilities.
How are mail and other deliveries handled?
What are local insurance rates?
What’s the minimum deposit?
If I don’t want to continue the lease, how far in advance must I notify the landlord?
Can this space grow with me?
Coworking—communal office spaces where indie workers can drop in, hold meetings, hang out, or hunker down—is a worldwide phenomenon. In a world where small is not just beautiful but powerful, coworking provides the right-size space to get you out of your own little silo. You can hatch big ideas without the financial drag of renting space yourself—a good move in an economy merciless toward those who grow too fast.
Since coworking is about community, different spaces have different characters, policies, and pricing. Some focus on a specific profession or group. Some host events—screenings, parties, meet-ups. Some offer tech support and local discounts or access to equipment or communications.
Designs range from workstations to family-style tables. Some are sleek and modern; others are laid-back with a video game setup and sofas for dreaming up your next big idea. Think of it as a freelance village. Who do you want your neighbors to be? For more info, see the Appendix.
Most freelancers are so busy that their office kind of grows up around their projects. If you’re peering over piles of stuff, you know this doesn’t work once things get rolling.
A few key workspace decisions can boost your efficiency and comfort big-time. They don’t have to cost a lot. And they can work whether your desk is a door slung over sawhorses or a teak heirloom; your files are stackable crates or sleek laterals; or your computer is a battered laptop or a triple-screen, Starship Enterprise setup.
For more info on office setup and management, see Chapter 14.
Not for you standard-issue office-drab. Will your workspace be country or chrome? Cool or hot colors? Zen-calm or cozy? Browse furniture and office stores to get a sense of your style. Comb thrift shops for affordable vintage pieces, or look on Craigslist and eBay.
Most people underestimate how much space, surface area, and storage they need. Piles are a major source of inefficiency. Give yourself room to grow—because you will. Order two instead of one; large instead of small.
If space is limited, think vertical: shelves, lateral and stackable files, cubbies, bins, or slatwall for mounting the tools of your trade within reach.
To keep your work surface uncluttered, find auxiliary space nearby to stow things you don’t need daily, but use often enough that they shouldn’t be far away—such as reference books, printer and desk supplies, stationery, or art supplies. You might recruit nonoffice furniture for this—a bureau, a vintage medical cabinet, or an armoire.
“I work on my computer,” you say. “I don’t need much desk space.” What about writing checks? Opening mail? Sorting photos? Assembling a presentation? Typing from a document? Untangling a medical billing issue? Paradoxical but true: Having space to make a mess can help organize your thinking and your work.
So, what about a desk with a return or a work surface at a right angle so you can do tasks on the side, set them aside, or move your computer aside? How about a work surface, drawers, shelves, or files directly behind you?
Or save your pennies and have something made: “After years of trying to combine desks and tables in a satisfactory way, I finally special-ordered a ten-foot parson’s table. Best piece of furniture ever for a writer or editor. Other than that, the less said about my office, the better.”
What goes on your work surface? Only items you use daily (24/7), in arm’s reach all around you (360 degrees). If you’re an accountant, you’ll want your calculator there. A writer may only need a calculator to invoice or bid on a job. Drawers were invented for things you need on hand, but not in sight. Be firm: If you don’t use it all the time, it doesn’t make the cut.
ASK SARA
Q Dear Sara, I know my workspace should have “good ergonomics,” but what does that mean, exactly?
A Good ergonomics helps you work well and feel great doing it.
Ergonomics relates to the safe and efficient interaction between people and things they use—in this case, you and your workspace.
Your body notices every change in its environment: “When I varied from my usual sitting spots for a few weeks last month, I ended up with lower back pain from a chair that was wrong for my work needs.”
A bad ergonomic situation, uncorrected, can lead to debilitating physical problems. Your workspace should accommodate you, not the other way around. And since you’re the center of the action, do yourself the favor of sitting correctly, working correctly, and taking breaks. It’s important to get up and move every hour or so. You can set an alarm to help you remember.
There’s no one workspace arrangement that’s right for everybody, but what follows are ergonomic principles to keep in mind. Check out “Computer Workstations” on the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s website (osha.gov).
Kitchen tables or folding tables are for noshes, not eight-hour workdays. Here are some guidelines for work surfaces.
• If your desk height’s adjustable (including for standing), that’s great. You should be able to move your legs comfortably and scoot in close enough to easily reach your keyboard. Your desk should be deep enough to fit your computer keyboard and monitor (if not, investigate a computer tray) and so your monitor can be at least 20 inches away from your eyes. Generally, that’s about 30 inches total. It shouldn’t be so deep that you overreach to grab your phone, pens, or anything else you use a lot.
• If your computer’s your main weapon, keyboard, monitor, and mouse should be in front of you. When you’re seated, feet flat on the floor, your desk surface should be at about elbow height.
Kitchen or dining-room chairs and folding chairs aren’t body-friendly for hours of work. Make sure the small of your back (lumbar spine) is supported and in a neutral position, whether by adjusting the chair back so it follows the lumbar curve or buying a lumbar cushion: “I had back pain, so I bought a lumbar pillow for my chair. Best thing I could do for my workspace.” Even a pillow or rolled-up towel can work. Some ideals to aspire to:
• The chair back should follow the curve of your lower back and shouldn’t interfere with your arm movements.
• For the seat: Figure approximately 16 inches high, 15 to 17 inches long, with contoured, rounded edges, especially on the front edge, so there’s no impeding of circulation. You shouldn’t have to slide forward to put your feet flat on the ground, since that makes it harder for your spine to keep its curve (try a footrest).
• Ideally, all parts are adjustable, it swivels 360 degrees, and it travels smoothly on casters. A five-legged base gives good stability.
• The best armrests are padded, removable, and adjustable for distance and height.
• Avoid chairs with radical, fixed shapes that limit how you can sit.
You don’t need to break the bank when buying a chair—but your chair shouldn’t break you. It’s best to shop for it in person. Bring something to read. Sit in the chair for 15 minutes or so, ideally in front of a table or desk in the store. Adjust whatever is adjustable—height, arms, back. Adjust the armrests for a 90-degree angle at the elbow; check that you can position your arms and hands properly for typing or whatever work you do. Swivel and scoot. Can you work in this chair? Will it help reduce your body’s fatigue? Do you want to take this chair home?
Whether you use a cell phone or a land line, there are logistical and tax reasons for separating your business and personal calls: You won’t be fighting your family for phone time, family members won’t be picking up business calls, and you won’t be interrupted by personal calls.
A dedicated business cell phone or phone line also makes it tons easier to document your professional phone costs for tax deduction. You have better things to do than untangle personal calls from business calls on every bill.
If you go the cell phone route, the smarter your cell phone, the more mobile your office can be, letting you make calls, check email, and use productivity-boosting apps.
If you’re super-busy or travel a lot, services can cover your calls, forward calls to a designated number, deliver messages, book appointments, and more. They’re called remote receptionists or virtual receptionists and are easily found online.
Whatever phone you use, you’ll be using it a lot. So I’d like to add a “Be Kind to Your Trapezius Day” to the national calendar. On that day, people wouldn’t clench their phones between neck and shoulder.
Your upper trapezius is that big, sloping muscle running from the back of your neck to your shoulder joint. Shrug, sling on a backpack, burp the baby, or just balance your head on your shoulders and you’re using it. The trapezius can do a lot of things well. Holding a phone isn’t one of them. Phone clenching contracts neck area muscles involved in breathing—you need those for breathing deep and thinking fast on a tough phone call. It even causes headaches and jaw pain. Does any of this sound good to you?
If you’re on the phone a lot, a hands-free headset lets you type, review documents, tie your running shoes, or stir the soup while you’re talking: “I slipped a disk in my neck and the orthopedist told me to get a hands-free headset. What a difference! I had no idea how tense I was from clamping the phone against my shoulder.”
General lighting should be diffused so you can easily read your computer screen, and not flickering. Window lighting should be at right angles to your monitor.
Task lighting can save energy and money. At the computer, use limited task lighting, positioned to avoid screen glare. A screen glare filter can help.
For task lighting on print, go for larger-area, bright lighting, directly on the documents, on the left if you’re right-handed and vice versa. Ideally, brightness and angle are adjustable.
Your technology decisions will depend on the kind of work you do, but here are some general points.
Know who you’ll call for troubleshooting. “I’m not terribly tech-savvy, so I find computer problems challenging. I often call designers I used to work with for help with layout issues.” Chances are, someone in your Brain Trust can help or can recommend a computer geek. Maybe as a group you could retain someone, or have him or her give some tutorials. Also, post tech questions on professional or product discussion boards.
Shop for the best Internet service deal you can get, at the speed you need. Generally, faster is better, but website developers’ needs are different from writers’, for example.
Go wireless. It gives you flexibility in your office design: computer, printer, keyboard, et cetera, don’t have to live right next to one another.
Find a multifunctional printer. Some people need professionally printed stationery, but many freelancers prefer to print their own. If your printer doubles as a scanner, you can scan your receipts for tax documentation. Many models copy and fax, too.
See how software stacks up. Make a list of your current and future work needs—Accounting? Writing? Mailings? Blogging? Talk to others in your field about what they use, what they like, and why. Many software programs offer free versions. Try before you buy.
Splurge a little. For fun, or to work smarter or more stress-free. Maybe you want great speakers for music while you work, or headphones to screen out noise: “I splurged on high-quality headphones because I like to work in cafés and libraries but I transcribe a lot of interviews and need to hear perfectly. Now I can work anywhere I want.” For the cost-conscious, check places like eBay and Craigslist.
Your monitor should be in front of you, 20 to 40 inches away, with the top of the screen at about eyebrow height. Adjust contrast, brightness, or font size to keep from constantly leaning forward or squinting.
A laptop stand with a wireless keyboard (see Just Your Type) is a great way to put a laptop monitor at the right height. It also helps air circulate around the computer and can be moved to clear the work surface for other projects. Need more room for the right monitor distance? Try pulling your desk away from the wall, putting your keyboard on an adjustable tray and pulling it toward you, or a flat monitor.
Working mainly from printed material? Put it in front of you and move your monitor slightly to one side.
Using a document holder? Find one adjustable for angle and height. It should match your monitor in height and distance, so you don’t have to refocus or move your head much looking from one to the other.
We’ve all had that zombie stare from too much screen time. Every fifteen minutes or so, look away from the screen, blink to moisten your eyes, focus on something 20 feet or so away or just gently close them, take a full breath or two, and then return to work. Or spend a few minutes doing another task—a phone call, some filing, or something that gets you up and moving.
ON-SITE QUICK FIXES
If you’re working at an office that isn’t your own, here are some simple things you can do to make the workspace fit you. Ask if you can have a swivel chair. Put a delivery box under your feet if they don’t rest flat on the floor. Bring your own lumbar support pillow or antiglare screen. See if you can move the computer monitor in front of you. Ask if they have an adjustable tray for the keyboard and mouse, or a hands-free headset for the phone. There’s nothing wrong with asking for things that’ll help you work better.
Place the fingertips of one hand against the outside of your opposite forearm, just below the elbow. Now wiggle your free fingers as if typing. Feel those muscles and tendons rippling? Typing has far-reaching effects.
When you type, your elbows should be by your sides, forearms at about a right angle to your upper arm, and wrists—this is really, really important—straight, or neutral when positioned over the keyboard. Type with your fingertips, not flat-fingered, and keep your hands parallel.
Anything that breaks that right angle takes your wrists out of neutral, forcing the tendons of your fingers to bend around your wrist bones in ways they shouldn’t. Do that for hours, days, months, years, and you’ll find it really hurts.
Bring the keyboard to you, versus reaching toward it. Keyboards with adjustable feet on front and back might help. If you use a wrist rest, it’s usually best to have it separate from the keyboard, not built in. Take out the pencil drawer on a traditional desk if it helps you adjust your seat height for correct keyboard posture.
Or try a keyboard tray: a sliding tray attached under the desk surface that can be tilted, raised, or lowered. Make sure you can still scoot in close to your desk.
With laptops, if the keyboard’s in the right position, the monitor’s too low; if the monitor’s at proper eye level, the keyboard’s too high. Also, the laptop’s smaller keyboard forces poor wrist positions for some. The answer is a wireless keyboard and laptop stand. They’re affordable, neat (no trailing wires), and can change positions with you while you work.
A mouse (or trackball or other device) can cause wrist stress injuries, depending on its location, size, and how much you use it. Even just moving your thumb repeatedly on a trackball can cause chronic problems over time.
Your mouse and your keyboard should be at the same level. Try a) a mouse that fits your hand size and contour and puts your wrist in a neutral position, b) a computer tray to hold keyboard and mouse at the correct level, c) learning to mouse with the nondominant hand, or d) a keyboard that lets you connect the mouse on either side. Also:
• Look for a mouse that fits either hand and can be adjusted for sensitivity.
• Don’t use a trackball requiring you to use your thumb.
• Reduce mouse use: Use keyboard shortcuts.
• Use your arm to mouse, not your wrist. The heel of your palm shouldn’t rest on the desk surface or mouse pad, but should slide along the surface as you mouse.
Good ergonomic habits are your best defense against work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) or repetitive stress injuries (RSIs), which can sap your productivity, cause pain and stress, and drive up your medical bills. Working in nonneutral or awkward positions tires your muscles, pulls tendons, nerves, and blood vessels over ligaments and bones, and can pinch, restrict, or even fray them. Swelling occurs, pressing on nerves and blood vessels—especially in compact areas like your wrists and fingers. What starts as stiffness, tenderness, or soreness can become tingling, numbness, pain, and a chronic, disabling problem. The tissues lose their well-oiled-machine smoothness and efficiency—and you feel it.
Anyone who does repetitive work—computer work, hefting skillets, wielding a paint roller, bowing a violin, working at a drawing table, et cetera—can develop RSIs. If you have any pain or discomfort, consult your physician. Below are some strategies that can help, and some warning signs.
When you think of the correct posture for sitting, think of leading with your heart. The sternum (that bony area in the center of your chest), should be gently lifted upward. Result: Your shoulders settle down and back, your lower back rests in its S-shape, and your chin tucks slightly inward. And all of this should happen with your lower back in contact with the back of your chair.
Sure, you’ll move around—bending to finish a detail on a drawing or to read the fine print in a contract. But you always come back to your heart-lifted posture—which, P.S., is also optimal for blood flow and breathing—two useful recruits for clear thinking.
Below the waist you should have two feet flat on the floor. If you can’t reach the floor, a couple of phone books, a delivery box, or a step stool will help. Slightly elevating the thighs destresses the lower spine. Crossing legs is bad for circulation and the desire to do so is often the body’s request for better support.
Rotate tasks to mix in movement. Sit for a while, then make a phone call and stand or walk while you talk (moving around can sharpen thinking).
Don’t twist and shout—do a miniworkout. Instead of straining to reach for something out of range or rolling your chair over, get up, take a few steps over to that low shelf or file, squat down, get what you need, push back up again. Work those abs and quads.
Reboot your body. Every thirty to sixty minutes or so, give your body a few minutes’ break. Change positions. Focus on something in the distance, close your eyes, breathe deeply, get up and do some stretches, refill your water glass. “I set a timer for sixty minutes and then do something physical. I wash or put away dishes, take out the trash, vacuum a room, dust a little. I feel better, and my house gets clean!”
Take a real lunch break. Give yourself a full-hour, official lunch-time away from desk, email, and phone. Have a sandwich, take a walk, run an errand, exercise, or take a nap.
Watch your posture. Most of us have no idea we’re slouching, straining to read on-screen, or tensing our shoulders while working. Hang a mirror in your workspace and do microchecks of your posture, just like at the gym.
If you get achy or uncomfortable while working, feel little “zings” of pain, intermittent tingling or pain, or can’t sit for fifteen minutes or so without pain starting, don’t ignore it. Addressing symptoms early is key in preventing more serious problems. Some warning signs connected with computer use include:
• Joint stiffness or swelling
• Aches, tingling, cramps, or weakness
• Less range of motion in back, neck, or shoulders
• Pain in back, neck, elbows, forearms, or wrists
• Numbness, burning sensation, or a change in grip strength
• Double or blurred vision, or sore, dry, or itchy eyes
If any of these happens to you, evaluate your workspace design and your work position and consult a qualified health professional. Have someone take a photo of you working at your desk. Showing it to your doctor and/or physical therapist can help them evaluate your workspace ergonomics and posture. Tell them: Where you hurt. When. For how long. Whether it goes away when you stop working. Contact your physician if you experience any of the following:
• sharp, shooting pain
• sudden weakness
• inability to hold things or dropping things
• pain that doesn’t ease or change with movement
• pain with no apparent injury that persists for a week to ten days
• pain that wakes you up at night
• pain that shoots down your arm when you cough or sneeze
• nausea, diarrhea, dizziness, blurred vision, ringing in the ears, numbness, tingling, or weakness in your arms or legs
You can green your office by buying energy-efficient equipment and eco-friendly supplies, and recycling your electronics. Your electric bill and Planet Earth will thank you. Here are some tips. For selected resources, see the Appendix.
Turn it off. It’s old-school, but it works: When you leave a room, turn off the lights. Turn off your printer and other machines not in frequent use.
Invest in multitasking machines. For example, printers that also scan, copy, and fax save power and space.
Use power strips. Flip one switch; turn off multiple appliances. By cutting connection to the power source, you also eradicate “phantom” or standby power load (the power a turned-off appliance uses), which for home office equipment could be 20 to 40 watts per item.
Unplug chargers or adapters when you’re not using them or after charging.
Myth: Leaving equipment on twenty-four hours a day isn’t a big energy drain. Truth: Running machines 24/7 increases your power bill, exposes your equipment to more power surges, and pulls in dust.
Myth: Screen savers save energy. Truth: Letting your monitor go to sleep or turning it off saves power.
Score a triple-save. Enable power management features (power-save, sleep mode) on your equipment. You’ll save power, cool your equipment, and save on your AC bill.
Use disks and drives without the detriments. Look into recycled disks and earth-friendly flash drives free of lead, mercury, cadmium, or other toxic chemicals.
Pick your paper. Compare recycled paper products’ postconsumer content (discarded consumer material). Get the highest level you can find. Look for chlorine-free processing.
Flip it over; cut it up. Flip over paper printed on one side and put it in your printer tray to print on the blank side. Or cut it into quarters and use the blank side for notes (junk mail’s good for this, too).
Keep landfills cleaner and leaner: Donate or recycle your electronics. If your equipment works (or can be repaired), donate it. Otherwise recycle it so metals, plastics, glass, and more can be harvested for reuse and harmful materials disposed of. For donation or recycling programs, check your state or local government website. For a list of questions to ask recyclers (including how they destroy personal data), log onto E-cycling Central (ecyclingcentral.com/faqs).
Donate your phone. Cell phones, chargers, and the like can be donated to programs that provide them to charities or sell them at a discount to the needy. Be sure your service contract is terminated and all personal data is erased (manually and by removing the SIM card, and/or get instructions from the manufacturer or service provider, or use a tool that erases data). To find out about cell phone mail-in, drop-off, or collection programs in your community, contact the manufacturer, local retailer, or check out charities and state and local waste programs. Another good resource: the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s “eCycle Cell Phones” (epa.gov/wastes/partnerships).
ENERGY STAR (see Appendix) has partnered with more than 17,000 organizations to help citizens and organizations adopt energy-efficient products and practices. Products that earn the ENERGY STAR meet energy efficiency standards set by the U.S. Department of Energy or the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency—for example, ENERGY STAR computers go to “sleep” (i.e., low power) after being inactive for a certain period, “waking” at the touch of key or mouse. Make sure the features are enabled.
ENERGY STAR lamps and compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) last up to ten times longer than standard incandescent bulbs and use 75 percent less energy.
Look for the ENERGY STAR label on the product or on its packaging, literature, and online.
When all’s said and done, your office doesn’t have to suit anyone but you, for the work you love and do.
“I wish my office weren’t also a guest room and that I didn’t have to use fifty percent of my real estate on a bed. But I love that, on the wall over the bed, is the sign from the café I owned—it represents my first foray into the business that I now freelance in, and that suits me so perfectly.”
