The Perfect Office?

Most of my working life has entailed being in an office, and being bound to it because of the data that’s been held on the server, the accounting software, and simply because that’s where I needed to be to do the work I was employed to do. My current role however has elements to it that don’t restrict me geographically in this way. Technological advances have helped too:
• Having a laptop rather than a desktop;
• Being able to download everything I might need on the server onto a small postcard-size external hard drive;
• Being able to access the Dallas server remotely (can't do this with the Nairobi one yet unfortunately);
• Being able to access my emails wherever I am (not always a good thing!);
• Being able to skype chat with colleagues around the world.

Working on the front porch of Hadada Cottage

A week on Sunday, we have a week-long biennial Project Funding and Finance workshop starting, in a conference centre just outside Nairobi. Most of the SIL finance people across Africa will be coming for training, along with some of those from the African Wycliffe organizations. Unfortunately, 3 of the 5 people I’d had down to facilitate are unable to come, so rather more is falling to me than I’d reckoned on. And somehow, preparation for this in the office setting just doesn’t happen. I’m too accessible there, and am way too likely to get caught up with other work-related matters. Last week, I chose to work from home for a couple of days, and made good progress, and this week, I’ve come right away, to one of my favourite weekend haunts, a cottage on Oldien Bay near Lake Naivasha. I did wonder this morning if this was a good move, when I was 2 hours later than planned leaving Nairobi, and hence (with the 2.5 hour drive) lost a whole morning of working on the workshop prep. However, once here, all that dissolved. What a setting to work in! Being someone who did all her summer exam revision (from O levels through A levels, Chemistry degree and then accounting qualification) outdoors, I very quickly decided to sit at the table on the front porch with my laptop rather than stay inside. What a view – aloes, acacia trees, the flamingo-pink fringed lake, and hills beyond,- and all accompanied by the melodious sound of a multitude of assorted birds, and the occasional grunting of hippo! Definitely a very therapeutic environment to be working in. My only concern – that I will get too distracted by the beautiful surroundings and fail to get on with why I’m actually here!