How Do You Work?

Inspired by LifeHacker.com’s piece on “Workspace Show and Tell”. 

Recently, the posts on lifehacker.com, from visitors who shared uploaded images of their workspaces, inspired me. Even the more modest-looking workspaces offered ideas on how to improve mine. So, I decided to share my workspace with you, in hopes that it may give you an idea or two on how to improve yours.

Furnishing – My desk is a 1920s antique vanity that I purchased from a garage sale about 20 years ago, for just $11. I stripped layers of paint off of it, sanded it by hand, and finished it off with stain and hardware. My mother made the bookcase out of the cheapest MDF board, and I painted it with some black enamel that was leftover from another project. Surprisingly, the bookshelf is very heavy, so it makes a solid home for my main writing-related reference books. The chair was purchased online and on clearance at Target.com. The blue micro-suede fabric that covers the chair’s seat was purchased on sale at fabric store, and I borrowed a staple gun to do the job. The golden silk runner was a fabric remnant bought on clearance at a fabric store, as well. I didn’t even bother to sew it, and it works great for keeping the surface of my desk clean. Whenever it’s time to clean, I just toss it in the washing machine on the ‘delicate’ cycle, let it air dry, fold and iron it back into position. Also, all the grey metal desk accessories were bought on clearance. I guess some could call me the clearance queen, but after I figured out how much mark-up is in full retail prices, I was never able to go back to my old ways! You need not either!

Comfort – Last Christmas, I was gifted a single-serve Keurig coffee-maker. This is great since I’m such a coffee-lover, and what’s even better is that it’ll brew hot tea for me, as well. I keep everything there by my desk (the mug, the coffee maker, the k-cups, the stevia sweetener) so I never have to leave my work to get a fresh cup. Also, I’ve got my pillow there for added back support, since clearly, I don’t yet have the most comfortable office chair – but, I’m working on that! 

View – I’ve got a fantastic view of the Texas Hill Country right outside my window. As a writer, this is a great respite to my eyes constantly viewing a computer screen. It also boosts my general mood and creativity when I’m surrounded by natural beauty while working. Another way I try to add to this ambiance is by having flowers ($3 on clearance at Big Lots) and a desktop image of a flower. Now, flowers may not be for you, but whatever objects or scenes of natural beauty you most appreciate might do the trick for keeping your frame of mind positive while working.

Lighting – Studies have shown that dim lighting – as opposed to bright lighting – helps people feel less constrained, more free to explore, and more willing to take risks. I’m able to adjust the natural lighting with my blinds and drapes during the day, and at night I’ve got my lamp ($6 on clearance at Ross, by the way), and overhead lighting that can be dimmed. However, I almost never use the overhead lighting, because I find it stresses my eyes while I’m working. Natural lighting is my first choice; task lighting is my second.

Sound – I have a deep appreciation of music; all kinds of music. And, being a word-person, I especially value lyrics in music, but music with a lot of lyrics is often distracting to me while I’m working; and, silence, is almost as bad. So, to strike just the right balance, I listen to positive progressive music, that has a modern, upbeat, electronic and ambient sound. Studies have shown that ambient noise – at the right volume level – promotes creativity and abstract mental processing. If the noise is too loud, people can’t think straight; if there is too much silence, even quiet noises can be distracting. Now, electronic music is something that people either love or hate. If you love it, then you’ll probably like my Positively Progressive playlist. And, you’ll probably also like my Chill Pill playlist, which is great for winding down your workday, or even falling asleep. If neither of these appeal to you though, then songza.com might be a great place for you to find the music that fits your unique taste while you’re working.

What you don’t see from the photos:

Directly opposite of my bookshelf there is a dry-erase board on the wall with my top to-dos listed. This has proven to be very effective in keeping me focused on what I need to accomplish every day. It’s also been effective in keeping me encouraged, as I see things getting crossed off that list. Without this board, I probably wouldn’t be as focused and productive. And, there are times as a solopreneur where you can beat yourself up for the things you didn’t get done (believe me, there will always be many), but that board gives you a testimony of the progress that you are making. Also, I cannot put a price tag on the door – complete with a lock! If you work from home, as I do, then the value of being able to shut and lock the door to your office doesn’t need an explanation.

How I plan to improve the space in the future:

Ergonomics – Although my chiropractor would probably be glad to hear that I’m no longer using my laptop in bed, he’s probably not impressed with the laptop, period. I surely need to get a bigger monitor, keyboard, and mouse to relieve back strain. Then, I could reserve my laptop for mobile use only. Also, a comfy executive chair would be nice, and I’ve seen several gently used ones available at resale shops for $30-$99.

Enlarge – The surface area of my desk is quite small. Ironically, the desk I had prior to this one was a huge and heavy 1960s writer’s desk that I had updated with paint and hardware. After a couple occasions of moving it, and struggling to make it fit in new housing, I finally let the piece go. So, at risk of sounding like Goldilocks here, I will warn you to learn from my mistakes, as someone who has had work desks that were too small or too big, to really thing hard about getting just the right size.

Warmth – I’ve already got a fan for the summer, but a heater at my feet during this past winter would have been nice, and I’ve worked at places where the employees have brought in their own. Studies have shown that the optimal temperature for worker is 77 degrees, and when temperatures are as low as 68 degrees, they made more mistakes, because they are more easily distracted, as their bodies use energy to keep warm. Whatever temperature suits you may not suit others that you share your space with, but getting the best temperature for you will help you to do your best work.

Now, some of you admirable boot-strappers out there might think that I’ve fussed far too much over my workspace, but what I have today was built slowly over a long period of time with much frugality. Plus, my efforts have been fueled out of an understanding that we are psychologically affected by our workspaces, and that ultimately affects our work performance. Hopefully, this has inspired you to fuss just enough over your workspace, for productivity’s sake, if you haven’t already.

So, how do you work? Got any ideas to share?