So, first goal:
My office area has no doors, so I often get distracted by noise from my kids, the TV in the family room, dogs barking by the back door, you name it --- anything that comes with not having a way to close myself off from the rest of the house. So my first order of business is to get a door that I can close to the rest of the world.
My second goal is a desk.
I've been working on the same 29"x66" Manager-style desk for the last 5+ years, and it's literally ready to fall apart. The desk has always sat a little too high for my stature, making desk chairs difficult to deal with and I require a box of books to rest my feet on since they can't reach the floor. I've largely out-grown the coverage area of my desk leaving me little room to sketch only after I've reorganized the placement of my mouse and keyboard; it doesn't have enough file storage and the area where my wrists lie as I'm typing on my keyboard is covered in 3 layers of tape to prevent splinters and further rubbing (the finish on the desk has long-since warn to the bare wood). In essence, I need something bigger and sturdier that will allow for more file space, and something a little shorter that would be more comfortable for a person of my average height (apparently most "Managers" are tall and need high desks). After a year of consideration, I have come to the conclusion that this problem will require that I build a custom desk. Based on the finished product, I may invest in a new ergonomic chair as well.
And lastly, feng shui.
About a year into having my own business, while still living in Arizona, I was feeling uncomfortable and ill-at-ease in my office. So I thought I would take the time to research some common feng shui techniques and reorganize it. The difference was night and day, and maybe not only because my "chi" was flowing better, but one of the core principles of feng shui is getting rid of clutter and disorganization. I'm not necessarily a clean-freak, but clutter has always bothered me, so the principles work well for my personality.
Before moving into the new house I wasn't able to clearly gauge the amount of stuff I needed to find a home for in my office area, so I still have a pile of boxes sitting in a corner and far too many books on my bookshelf that spill onto the floor. I have a makeshift photo studio on one side of my office with no way to really store anything away when we have guests, and I have the irreparable eggshell white walls surrounding me in their stark-vomit glory. Mismatched artwork and a variety of nick-nacks don't help either. The only thing I have going for me is a beautiful bay window that allows me to get natural sunlight and a little bit of insight on the day's weather, which I do enjoy. So, my goals are to update the layout of my office space (this involves coordination with my new custom desk), add feng shui principles which include the creation of a bagua map to help with proper layout, adding color to the walls, removing clutter, and adding water/fire/nature elements in the form of color and/or objects. That might sound a little silly, but adding something simple like a scented candle or a large fern can really change the mood/feeling of any space. I've done it before, and I just can't express what a difference it can make.... at least, for me.
So those are my three big goals to complete within the next 6 months, in no particular order. I've already planned out the "industrial barn doors" to close off my office area, the HUGE custom desk will begin construction in the next week or two, and I've already got paint samples for my walls (you can see one sample on the wall above my printer, but that's not the color I've chosen). I'm including "before" pictures of my current workspace below. This is my desk area - to the left is the bay window and behind me is my pseudo-photo studio and bookshelves. As work begins, I'll be documenting my progress. Wish me luck! I can't stress enough how important a workspace can be, especially when you're spending so much time in it.
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