Keep Your Chaos on Your Side of the Bed, Go for a Walk, and Don't Overcomplicate Things

I don't know about you, but my work mood is highly influenced by my surroundings, a plethora of options, and a yearning desire to be outdoors. I need open air, natural light, and a touch of nature to provide a mental break or spark a wave of inspiration while doing routine work.

Working from home, or in a dark office with closed windows and an uninviting bureaucratic desk, can quickly shift my mindset from 'let's do this' to 'I can't wait for this to be over.'

Discovering what small changes in your work area can boost your productivity and maintain focus isn't too difficult, but implementing them can be challenging. Here are some thoughts I have:

Keep It Clean

I'm not an extremely organized person. In fact, if you give me a neat working area and check back in a week, you'll likely find it's no longer pristine – my wife can attest to that. I prefer controlled chaos, but I don't let disorder reach a breaking point. Occasionally, I engage in a cleaning spree so I can refocus on work.

My side of the bed is a living testament to this way of thinking. My wife has decided to overlook this as long as I do not overextend to her side of the bed. Because her side is in order 90% of the time, it highlights my mess.

This approach can lead to wasting time on cleaning and organizing, while adopting small, consistent cleaning and organizational habits would be more efficient and less disruptive to workflow.

This was especially evident in our workshop. We strived to keep it clean, and for about 50% of the time, we succeeded. Visitors were often surprised at our level of organization. However, the other 50% was utter chaos with multiple projects, scattered wood, and dust. After completing a project, it would take a day or two to restore the workspace to a neat and clean state.

I've been working on simple daily routines. Starting small has been most effective. My office desk and woodworking bench are critical; if they're disorganized, everything else falls apart. But if they're kept in order, it highlights the chaos elsewhere and motivates me to maintain regular cleanliness. (A work in progress...)

Keep It Simple

Time can be lost in the details if you let it. Detail-oriented people can find themselves in analysis paralysis if they don’t know when to stop striving for perfection and settle for 'really good' instead.

One might never take action due to the pursuit of the 'perfect way' to do something. I believe this paralysis occurs for two reasons: the overwhelming complexity perceived before starting a task and, once overcoming this, the inability to find the simplest way to begin.

Whether crafting new furniture or formulating a life plan, simplicity helps maintain motivation and manage complexity.

“Perfect is the enemy of good.” - Voltaire

Keep It Moving

It’s not just about the work, but also about you. Take breaks to walk in daylight, grab a coffee, or simply enjoy the sunshine while stretching. Especially during creative stagnation, stepping away from stress or complexity and relaxing your body and mind can significantly help you to re-focus upon returning to work.

Neglecting these brief pauses, particularly when making complex decisions, can be costly. As a general rule, if an immediate decision isn't necessary and can wait, give it a day or two. This isn't about delaying; it's about refocusing your mind on other things so that when you return to the decision, you have a fresh perspective.

Until the next one,

Javier