How Do You Know When Your Space Isn’t Working For You?
My robot and mini sewing machine collection
Organizing your creative or office space is seldom a one-and-done deal. Just like our work is constantly evolving, you should expect your space to need occasional retuning to keep up with you.
So how do you know when your space isn’t working for you? I think a key indicator is that you avoid being in that space.
Ill-fitting space breeds a version of procrastination in me, one where it’s not that I’m avoiding a task so much as I’m avoiding doing it in there.
I have a friend that has three different places in her home where she sets up her laptop. She shifts to a new one when she starts feeling uncomfortable in her current one. It’s usually piles of mess that prompts the move, but then she has the work of one project spread across three different places! To me, that’s a whole different level of discomfort!
The factors that make your space “uncomfortable” can be as changeable as the weather. Today, it might be that you can’t tolerate the mess. Tomorrow, it might be that the room feels too cold, or the chair has started squeaking again. Or it could be that, on Wednesdays, the neighbor’s garden crew fire up the leaf blowers and peace is shattered til lunch time.
The thing is, you still need to get your work done, right? So we need to fix it, and that starts with tuning into your awareness. You’re already aware that you’re not comfy, so let’s go a layer deeper to find out specifically why.
I recommend making a cuppa, grabbing a notepad, and giving yourself 10 minutes to ponder IN your creative or work space. You want to be IN there to see the details. And yes, you really can take a small break, because slowing down for it will actually make you go faster.
You want to relax for a moment, look around, and start to identify what’s making you not enjoy being in there:
Has it gotten messy? Then burn the half-hour to tidy up because it’s easier than burning days in avoidance!
Have I misplaced things I need in order to work? Time to find them, and give it quick tidy as you go.
Misplaced things part 2: If you are constantly moving a specific tool between two locations, it might be time to buy a second of that tool.
Am I physically uncomfortable here? How so? Then you might need to budget for a different desk, chair, lamp, or heater that supports your body’s best comfort.
Is it noisy neighbor day? Do something else during the noisy time, like a different task that doesn’t require quiet. Or head to a library or café for a bit. Or invest in some of these.
Does your space lack fun or personality? I’m a big fan of having a few fun things on my desk or in my studio that make me smile or inspire me. Sterile minimalism is not a useful goal unless it makes you happy!
Now put a half-hour on your schedule to make a couple changes to ease what you identified as uncomfortable. It doesn’t need to be perfect, it just needs to move in the right direction.
Remember – we’re here to make a space that fits your beautiful brain and works for YOUR quirks!