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"Work" can mean different things for different people. Some of us work in an office, some do not. Some people work from home (I'm one of those people). Writing a blog might not be work, but the area where you do it could still be your work area. Perhaps this isn't the most accurate title.Either way, the place where you go to write your blog entries is vital to writing good quality content. Have a look at my study - this is also the first photo I've posted of our new house.
Your comfort zone.
Your working environment should be organised according to your needs. An adjustable chair is a must. You need to be able to sit comfortably, see your screen, type and use the mouse. It can take a bit of trial and error to find your perfect position.It may seem like pretty simple stuff, but believe me, you'll know about it if you get it wrong. A badly organised work area will put you off using it!
Free yourself of clutter.
Some people work better in a mess - think "organised clutter". But if you don't, make sure you take a moment to remove any unnecessary bits and pieces from your desk.Limit outside distractions.
Some people need to shut themselves away for an hour in order to get anything done. Others can just focus on what they're doing regardless of what's happening around them.If you don't cope well with distractions, write some ideas for your blog entries and set a time to write them up. Tell the people you live with (whether friends or family) that you'll be busy at that time - and make sure you stick to it.
Find the things that help you work.
A snack? A drink? Listening to music on headphones? Sometimes I do all three, sometimes I do none of them. Right now I'm listening to trance music on headphones and I have a bottle of water beside me. If I'm in the mood to get things done, I find I can immerse myself in my work a lot better by listening to music.Take breaks when you need to.
Sometimes I just can't get into the swing of things so I take a short break and do something else. Sometimes I work flat out for hours and have to force myself to take a break for things like food and drink!Don't forget the technical things.
Is your computer really slow? Do you need a bigger monitor? Mouse or keyboard not working too well? You might be surprised how much difference you'll see if you replace some of your old and broken stuff.What's your working environment like?
Do you work in an office, from home, or somewhere totally different?Where do you write your blog entries?
Do you think your working environment is as good as it can be, or could it be improved?
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Tags: working environment, comfort zone, adjustable chair, organisation, clutter, distractions, listening to music, taking breaks, replacement hardware
Posted by Ben on January 31, 2008 19:53 / Edited: Never
Comments
I like to refer to mess as "ocular chaos" If you can make a quick sandwich from the crumbs in your keyboard, it is time to clean up your clutter!
I work both from home and from an office. I think the worst this is the ear clutter and the chatter that I have to put up with. One day, upon the garbage that was being talked about, I had to extracate myself into my home office to concentrate!
I set my home office up as half studio half office, decorated in Chicago Bears Blue and all the garb to go with it.
i know i want another screen! lol...and i do need to invest in a good chair.
great pic btw.
nice setup ben. very organized and cool. like the mood lighting. hey, is the captcha really necessary. it's a pain to keep putting in code to leave a comment. anyway, the audio ads post on my blog was a paid post. i don't like them either. just did it to get 15 bucks. U mentioned that you do a lot of coding. i was wondering if you do freelance? i was going to hire a coder on scriptlance, but figured maybe i should run it by you to see if you're interested.
maldiveslive and mlpieters, thanks for your positive feedback. :)
Susie, I also write music in my study, but have yet to set up my keyboard, guitar, microphone and mixer. What do you do in your studio?
noob, thanks for explaining about the audio ads, makes sense now! Have a read of my new commenting FAQ - that should answer your questions about the CAPTCHA. As for coding - it really depends on how much work is required. Please use the Contact link, top right, to send me a message with some more info. No promises at this stage but I'll certainly have a think about it. :)
You are working cool environment.