Writing Workspaces: I Think I Need A Pillow

My desk. Gotta have my Dilbert calendar.

About 2 o’clock on Monday, my butt started aching.

Too much information, I know, but it quite startled me. You see, I work from home, and spend about eight hours a day sitting on that aforementioned butt. I need it to be comfy.

I immediately began searching for the culprit of this aching. Was I sitting on something foreign without realizing it? Nope, no dog bones or shoes under there. Did I work out particularly hard yesterday? Pshaw, that certainly couldn’t be it. Then, all of a sudden, it dawned on me: I squished all of the padding on my $75 Target chair. It was providing no support, and I might as well ahve been sitting on bare wood. Aside from making me feel kind of bad about myself, it made me realize an important point:

We are products of our environment. Our work is the product of our environment.

I spent a good thirty minutes of working time trying to figure out why my butt hurt – time better spent doing just about anything else. If we’re looking to create quality work, we have to have a comfortable workspace. The key word there is comfortable. Comfort is a personal thing — maybe you feel right at home on a bare wood chair. If so, kudos to you (oh, and do you want to buy a chair?). Some people find comfort in clutter, others in organization; some find it in classical music, others in heavy metal. Simon Cheshire finds his in a 3′ x 3′ wardrobe. Shannon finds hers in her guest bedroom closet.

Writing Workspace Makers-or-Breakers

So, what are the components that make (or break) a workspace? Let’s check them out:
By:jinkazamah

• Desk. Whether it’s this $1500 Restoration Hardware beauty or my IKEA special that cost less than 10% of that amount, having a desk to call your own is a must. For some, it’s not even an actual piece of furniture, but rather a lapdesk for a notebook computer, or, heck, even their own lap if using a journal.
• Chair. Ah, yes. The item that sparked this post. If your bottom isn’t comfortable, it’s going to be difficult for your top to focus on the task at hand. While many of us dream for a  Herman Miller Aeron Chairs, others enjoy a plush armchair, a floor pillow, or even some fresh green grass.
• Organization. Or, the lack thereof. Some think you need to feng shui your space to ensure proper concentration, while others like it as cluttered as possible (but THEY know where everything is)!
• View. I have to admit, staring a white wall does become draining after awhile. When your eyes take a break from staring at the computer screen, they should have something pleasing to look at, whether it’s something as common as a bookcase, or as breathtaking as Hemingway’s view.
• Environment. Do you like your space light and airy, or dark and cozy? What about the question that determines who you room with in college — do you like to listen to music while you work? If so, what kind? Personally, I enjoy the dark (my workspace has often been referred to as my “cave”) and cannot stand silence. Whether it’s music or a podcast, I have to have something on in the background — even if it’s just to drown out the random dog noises!

I think all of us tend to gravitate toward the workspace that fits us the best.  For the most part, my workspace suits me perfectly. It’s easy to keep organized and I have everything I need at arm’s reach. Well, except for a comfortable chair. That one I’ll have to work on.

We Wanna See!

What does your workspace look like? How did you put it together? Are you a workspace nomad, still trying to find where you do your best work? Let us know in the comments (or, better yet, let us see a photo)!