We’re all about thoughtfulness this month, and, before March rolls around and we start to touch on a new theme, we wanted to talk about thoughtfulness in one last sense — thoughtfulness as it applies to yourself. We often think of being thoughtful as something we should do for others, but it’s also important to be thoughtful for and to ourselves. That can mean taking extra time to treat ourselves when we most need and it also can mean being thoughtful about the way we work, so that we save ourselves time and inevitable stress (leaving extra time for — what else? — mani/pedis). Today, then, we wanted to talk about creating a thoughtful and purposeful workspace.
Invest in your workspace
As planners, many of us do most of our work from home, and — let’s face it — don’t invest much time or resources into our home offices. Afterall, it’s much easier to spend that extra income on rooms that everyone sees — the family room, the kitchen, etc. But, one of the most important things you can do to create a thoughtful workspace is to dedicate an allotted amount of time and resources to making it exactly what you want it to be — whether that’s creating a plan to save to buy a beautiful (and functional) desk, or investing an hour each week into cleaning and organizing your workspace. We also love the idea of researching color theory and investing in a fresh coat of paint for your office walls — it will make a huge difference in setting the space apart and making it feel like it has its own purpose, separate from the rest of your home.
Fill your workspace with inspiration and motivation
Another great way to create a thoughtful workspace is to create a space that inspires and motivates you. Don’t treat it as a space you have to be in, but rather, one you want to be in. We love the idea of creating an inspiration wall, where you hang framed photos of the most inspiring people in your life along with framed quotes that inspire you. Another fun trick? Pencil your business's growth and/or milestones vertically on a wall just as you would a child’s height. Everytime you hit a new sales goal or complete an amazing event, mark it on your wall above the last tally along with the date. Another favorite trick of ours? Pull a stack of your favorite inspirational books from your bookshelf and keep them in a pile on your desk. Make it a goal to start your mornings by thumbing to a random page in one of the books and reading a few sentences to motivate you.
Treat your workspace
Just as we talked about investing in your workspace for more functional items, we also love the idea of investing in smaller “filler” items. These are workspace items that, while they may not be a necessity, are a huge help in dressing up the space and making it a more thoughtful area. Candles, fresh florals and pretty jars of healthy treats all go a long way. If you have the space, we also love the idea of creating a coffee or tea area — simply stock a small table or cabinet with coffee/tea and all of the necessary fixings (small coffee maker, pretty mugs, honey, sugar, etc.) It will save you from those distracting trips to the kitchen and, ultimately, will help you stay on track in your workspace throughout the day. Pretty lamps that create great lighting, funky clocks and nice office supplies (pretty pens, nice notepads, etc.) all fall under this category as well.
No matter how you choose to dress up your workspace, remember it’s all about being thoughtful and purposeful. Choose items that have a purpose — whether that be to inspire you, motivate you or simply make you smile when you look at them. The more thoughtful our workspace, the more productive we ultimately can be (and the more time we have at the end of the day for — you guessed it — wine). These are just a few of our favorite tips and tricks to make that happen. Have any ideas for creating a thoughtful workspace that we missed? Share them with us. We’d love to hear from you!
Photo courtesy Jen Wojcik Photography
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