My corner office (so called because it’s literally occupying the corner of my living room) is consistently a tangle of wires, gadgets and gear, but that’s about the only consistent thing about it. It’s also always a work-in-progress, with things constantly being moved around and re-arranged in an attempt to find the configuration most conducive to work.

One of the reasons I spend a lot of time on it is that it’s a good way to procrastinate and avoid the important work I should be doing. But another reason is that the place where I spend the better part of my day had better be comfortable and supremely usable in order to improve both the quality of my work and of my life overall.

I’ve generally used a multi-monitor setup, though I’ve also advocated going down to a single screen to help you focus in the past. Right now, I think I’ve struck a good balance. I still use three screens (though I’d use only two or one if I had a large screen as my main display, like the one of the new 27-inch iMacs), but I rarely look at more than two. I also have my iPad at my workstation, operating solely as a standalone IM client. It resides on my left, outside of my field of view. That way, I can hear when a message comes in and note it, but there’s no visual imperative drawing my attention away from the task at hand.

I have a comfortable, ergonomic office chair, but it shares its duties with a large inflatable exercise ball that I use intermittently for the health of my back. The exercise ball also helps keep me focused and on-task, I’ve found, since I’m basically locked into position when I’m using it, and can’t really slouch or swivel around to check out what’s on TV, for instance. If you’re a web worker who spends hours at a time unbroken in front of the computer, I highly recommend one.

For work that requires real focus, I use a pair of noise-cancelling headphones. If my work urgent as well as important, then I’ll just use them without being connected to an audio source. Silence is golden, and for me, it’s also productive. I think I work faster when it’s quiet because it makes me want to hurry up and move on to another task, one that hopefully involves auditory input.

I used to have a bad habit of catching up with TV shows sporadically during the work day. I still do this, sneaking a show here or there, but now I do it in my work space, often while I’m doing something work-related but that doesn’t require  much attention at the same time. I’ll watch shows on the monitor on the right of my workspace, and do work on the main screen of my iMac. It saves me time because watching a show doesn’t become an event that I have to get up for, attend to, and get back to work from. It happens inline with my productive activities.

My space has taken shape through many years of trial and error, and it works because I know what is and isn’t going to distract me from getting things done. I’ve taken out things like a second computer, which I thought would speed things along but which just ended up being a Facebook/online shopping machine. But I’ve also come back to things like multiple monitors, because working between two apps is just so much easier that way.

To suss out the best configuration of your own workstation, you have to pay attention to the same kinds of things. And remember, nothing that you change can’t be undone, so don’t be afraid to go ahead and try whatever feels right, but always keep tabs on what you’ve done and how it’s affected your performance, or you’ll just find yourself wholly lost in the realm of procrastination.

What do you find productive about your current work space? Can you identify anything that’s definitely a distraction, and if so, can you change it?

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Since I’m preparing for a move once again, and I’ve actually become much more aware of what it is I do and do not like about the places I’ve called my home office in the past, I thought I’d share a few tips for what to look for if you’re searching for a better space to work.

Location, Location, Location?

Is location important to web workers? Even just looking at the roll call of contributors to this site, we’re a far-flung bunch. Living in such varied circumstance, it hardly seems to matter where we decide to put up. But you will want to avoid just going for the cheapest possible area for a number of reasons, including some important professional ones.

Maybe the best reason to stay relatively close to the beaten path is cost and availability of good connectivity. The further away from densely populated areas you get, the costlier it becomes to stay online, which, if you’re web working, is very important. Of course, the decreased cost of rent and other things might offset the connectivity costs, so you can strike a balance.

You also should consider the cost of, and ease of access to, travel. If you plan on attending conferences and trade shows, or regularly need to travel to meet with clients, being in or close to a major hub might be worthwhile. Personally, I just like urban living, so I’m willing to accept the higher cost of living. Sometimes it just comes down to personal preference. You can’t maximize your productivity if you’re not happy where you are.

The Space Itself

Once you’ve picked a place, it’s time to get more specific. Choosing a house or condo, amenities, extras, space, etc. Of course, budget is likely your limiting factor, but you probably still have plenty of choices within your price range. What you decide on might have to do with the nature of your work, but it might also depend on your work habits and routine.

Determine whether you’ll be working mostly from home or whether you’ll be out and about a lot. Remember that if you’re a full-time web worker, your office is also your home, and as such the lines are blurred between your professional and your personal lives. You may want to opt for a living solution that provides at least some distinction between work space and leisure/living space, as I do, or you might feel that you can accomplish more with the two conjoined. Again, it comes down to personal preference. Either way, you’re going to want to make sure you have a working space that is comfortable, light and pleasant to work in.

Everything Else

Those are the major considerations for me when I consider relocating, but that’s not all I think about. There are other things, like proximity to family and friends, entertainment and cultural activities available in the area, etc. They might not seem like they’re relevant to your professional life at the time, but when you can’t “leave it at the office” as easily as someone in a traditional workplace, they all become crucial to your working well-being.

What factors do you consider when relocating?

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Spend time looking for a great chair. One thing we have in common with office-bound workers is the need for a good chair.  Without it, we’re prone to back aches and hours of working in pain or discomfort.

Alternatively, some people prefer to sit on uncomfortable chairs or even work standing up.  Having uncomfortable seating sometimes forces people to work faster and more efficiently.  But if you prefer a more contemplative style of working, you should focus on looking for a comfortable chair.

Keep regularly used items within reach. Most of us have many physical tools we use for work, such as post-its, pens, index cards, or a USB thumb drive.  It’s best to keep these tools within your arm’s reach as you’re sitting down in front of the computer.  Apart from the items I’ve already mentioned, I also keep Strunk and White’s “The Elements of Style” on my desk as a quick reference.  If you have similar reference books for your field, it might prove to be handy to keep them nearby as well.  Having easy access to all these tools means you don’t have to waste time and energy walking around the house to look for them.

Make sure you have sufficient lighting. In an article about resetting one’s body clock, I wrote about how seeing bright light when you wake up tells your brain that it’s daylight.  This makes your office lighting important, especially if you like to work shortly after waking up.  The source of light can be natural, artificial, or a mix of both – as long as enough of it is available when you need it.

Add a little variety. Whether it’s the photographs on your desk, the art work on your wall, or the plants on your windowsill, it helps to have a few elements in your office that can be changed or rearranged.  These will allow you to breathe new life into your office whenever you’re getting bored with your old setup or you simply want a bit of change.

Have as few distractions as possible. When I started web working, my office was in the same space as a television set.  Obviously, this wasn’t a good idea as I often found myself turning the TV on and wasting my time with yet another episode of Seinfeld which I’ve already seen twice.  My desk was also situated badly, directly beside the front door and near the phone.  This meant that if there were any visitors, callers, or if anyone was coming in or leaving, I would be forced to deal with them.

Now, my office is in a separate room.  This means that I’m no longer forced to welcome guests or pick up the phone by default.  Since I made the change, I noticed a considerable decrease in the hours I spent working.  The bottom line is that you should find a space where you’ll have the least amount of distractions and close it off.  It’s better to have your office in an unused room.  If not, close off your workspace with dividers.

Establish house rules. Apart from the space itself, you also need to work on the less physical aspects of your office, such as established rules that are understood by your housemates or family.  Some examples include the following: you can’t be disturbed between 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, no one else is allowed to clean up your office for you, you won’t receive phone calls during the day, etc.  If your office space sets the physical boundaries, these rules will set the mental boundaries you need so you can channel your attention to you work.

It takes some experimentation and a few weeks of trial and error to have a workspace that is complementary to your work style.  These simple tips are just starting points you should consider when creating or re-creating an office that you’ll be proud of.

What does your office look like?  What makes it work for you?  Are there any aspects of your workspace that need improvement?  Feel free to share pictures.

Image by Henk L from sxc.hu

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