When I lost my job eight months ago, I woke up the next morning at 4:50 a.m., like always, and I was out the door by 6 a.m.—headed to Panera for coffee and a muffin. I had my computer in hand and spent three hours at Panera looking for work and researching my options. Then I came home and spent another seven hours doing the same thing.

The next day, and the next, and the next, and many more “nexts” were filled with more of the same, minus the Panera…after all, I was unemployed so breakfast would need to be at home! 🙂 However, I still got dressed for “work”—including shoes, makeup, and freshly-styled hair. It’s been that way for the last eight months, with only two exceptions. (And of course, as we all know how life works, those were two of the days when a neighbor stopped by for something!)

I don’t say that to brag or to look down on those who work from home in their jammies. For me, treating my activities as though they are intentional—not just happenstances as I walk from room to room in my nightclothes—helps me to feel as though what I’m doing matters. And when it matters, I give it my all.

I recently read that one of the common habits shared by leaders is that they make their beds. That might sound silly at first, but after doing an informal “poll” on Facebook, with about 80 friends responding, I realized that the reasons most gave for making their beds had to do with the feeling of accomplishment, completion, or organization. By the way, I make my bed every morning! My feet hit the ground and I turn around and make my bed. Why? 1) Lorraine Strohbehn 2) I start my day by completing a task!

So for me, the next step after making my bed is to make sure that my heart is spiritually ready for the day. Then comes preparing my outward self for the day. And in my case, that means looking and feeling like I’m working and in so doing, accomplishing something that matters.

When numerous (and I do mean numerous) applications were sent to no avail, and when prayer and Bible reading kept pointing me to use my God-given skills wholeheartedly and in a way that would bring glory to God, I began the freelance work that I am continuing to do. One desire that I have, but to which I loosely hold, is that I can work from home—or anywhere—through virtual means. One main reason I desire this is so that I can work from any location, including my parents’ home in another state, as I wish to be able to visit them more frequently than has been possible the past few years. (I also have better focus at home and avoid many levels of office-environment distractions.)

For me, working from home is still working. And when I work, it helps me maintain my focus when I dress for work. To those who have the ability to work in their jammies, I say, “That’s awesome!” But I will continue to rise at 4:50 a.m., turn and make my bed, refresh my heart with time in God’s Word, dress for work, and then keep the “office hours” I have set for myself to either complete the work for which I’ve been hired that day, or to research, grow and learn on the days when no work has been received.

The overriding principle for me is found in Colossians 3:23:

Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.

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Do you work from home? (And yes, if you are a mom whose work is in caring for your children at home, you work!) If so, what “rituals” do you follow to help you keep in mind that you are “working” and that your work MATTERS?