As
weeks of working from home wear on, it may be helpful to think of ways to make
your workspace more joyful. When your space brings peace, cheer, and a smile, you can
bring needed optimism to coaching interactions.
Start
with your desktop
Your
screen is now your home office. Take a
moment to redecorate! As the home design
experts suggest, start by decluttering.
Look at every icon. If it’s not
an app you frequently use, remove it from your desktop. You’ll still have
access to the program. Now organize the icons for ease of use (I like
most-frequently used in the lower left, with favorites pinned to the taskbar
along the bottom).
Filing
documents you don’t need ready access to will further clear the slate.
Now
that you can see what your background is, do you like it? Does it inspire you? Same with your lock screen image. It’s the first thing you see when you pick up
your laptop, so it sets the tone. The
image for this blog post is my lock screen – a photo of my granddaughter getting
the job done, and the photo makes me smile and gets me ready to work, too!
Now
that you’ve decluttered and got a nice backdrop, you can intentionally add to
your space. Are there bits of
inspiration you want easy access to? I’ve
got a PDF of some colorful art that inspires me. When I need a creativity boost, it’s one easy
click away. You might do the same with
music you like to work to.
Maybe
all this won’t dramatically increase your joy quotient, but for me, removing
clutter and creating organization is brain-freeing, and some inspirational
touches make me more productive.
Think
about the view
Optometrists
say it’s a good idea to look away from your screen regularly. This vision-friendly reminder can also be
good for your mental outlook. What do
you see when you lift your eyes from the screen? Do you have certain chairs you go to at different
times of the day or for different tasks?
This morning, I had a meeting with a colleague who had created a
workspace in his garage, complete with an honest-to-goodness green
screen. Spring breezes refreshed him and
there was the occasional hum of a neighbor’s car going by. When I need inspiration from hummingbirds and
bird song, I move to the deck behind my house, and when I’m inside, I like a
clear view to the window. Nature views
improve attention and decrease stress. Plants,
landscape prints, and even fabric patterns can liven up your inside view.
I
may be more OCD than you are, but the “clear the clutter” principle is also
important for the space around me as I work.
(Sometimes this just means moving the piles!). Being at home, unfolded laundry or undone
dishes can be a distraction, so I ban them from my view by choosing a chair
away from them.
Of
course, another view we’re thinking about these days is the view our colleagues
will see behind us. Choosing a cheerful
(but not-too-distracting) background screen is an option in some meeting
platforms. For long meetings, changing
up that background can reenergize. I f you’re not using an artificial
background, take a look at what’s behind you before starting an online
conversation.
Comfort
quotient
What’s
your comfort quotient for working at home?
I’ve spent a lot of time in slippers, and there are still some chilly
days when I have a blanket thrown across my legs. But that has to be balanced
(especially in the late afternoon!), with enough movement so that I don’t slip
into a comfortable daze or snooze. Think
about what brings comfort to your day. Something soft to touch? Your dog at
your feet? I think we should be
pampering ourselves a bit right now, taking care so that we can bring our best
selves to our interactions with teachers.
Elements
of joy
I
recently read the book, Joyful, by Ingrid Lee, an interior
designer. She talks about how elements
of energy, abundance, freedom, and harmony bring joy. Surround yourself with light and color that
add energy. Ingrid suggests that
non-uniform light is more joyful and that most people feel energized by bright
colors. How do light and color work for
you?
A
feeling of abundance also creates joy. You might tap into this attribute with
colorful patterns or art with exuberant movement or lots and lots and lots of
something. I found a favorite scarf and
draped it across a chair in my line of sight. Seeing something lavish can add verve! Bubbles, circles, and symmetry create joy and
harmony and can bring order to our thinking.
As
the weeks of working from home have rolled on, the view from my window has
changed from bare branches to a spring-green backdrop. I’ve been more aware of the treasures in my
own backyard and thought, “Why haven’t I always done this!” On Facebook I see photos
of friends’ reorganized closets and revived backyards. Maybe these gestures have created joy and
contributed to positive interactions.
Maybe they weren’t escapes from work, but ways to make it more
productive.
Whether
work continues from home or moves back to classrooms and school offices, creating
joyful spaces can energize our coaching work.
This
week, you might want to take a look at:
Tips for
surviving remote learning:
Interesting comparison between reading
music and reading other texts (with relevant takeaways for developing inner
voice):
Fixes for loneliness as a coach:
And
because you can never have enough Joy, here’s Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy,” by the
Colorado Symphony:
That’s
it for this week. Happy Coaching!
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