Divide it up: A sensory guide to carving out your space and time to find productivity and (at least some) peace.
The beauty of a staycation is that you get to enjoy the sanctuary of your home without the added hustle (and hassle) of being productive at work. Indeed, a staycation of course, is at least theoretically, a vacation. And for some the beginnings of various Stay at Home orders across the country and globe invited some bonuses from blending time at home while staying hard at work. Switching laundry between calls, meetings in your coziest sweats, no commuting, and extra time for outdoor play were just a few of the things people found nice about the initial time at home. But over the last month, whatever dreamy ideas people might have had about a staycation have withered away as we cross deeply into double digits of days at home.
The challenges of carving out space to be at work and be at home all in the same place have become crystal clear. Under the best of circumstances, space has big implications on productivity. Not to mention being able to stay focused in that space. So Parachute chatted with Jason Claire, Chief-of-Stuff at Interior Matter to share ideas about how to carve up your space for work and play.
“In these unprecedented times,” Claire said, “Interior Matter is thinking about space beyond the four walls -- they are thinking about parsing space in a multi-sensory way.” So how can we use our senses to divide the functions of space? Here are some inexpensive, thoughtful ideas to get your senses sparked when using your space for both work and play.
SEE
Work: Set up your “workstation” in the natural light, ideally next to a window if that’s available to you. Keep your workspace consistent so that you start to identify that space as where you go to work (even if it’s just one end of your dining room table). Put a plant nearby to remind you that we’re still growing, even during this time.
Play: If you have a large enough space, carve out an area as a “no-work” space. Keep any work materials -- laptop, paperwork, to-do lists -- out of that space. Hang a photo of a recent trip you took, or some other photo that reminds you of pure fun, plain and simple. Even resist the urge to talk shop in that space. If you can’t carve out an “all-play” space, consider lighting a candle to designate that it’s now time to play; or lay out a tablecloth on the table or a throw on the couch that lets you know it’s time to play -- think of it as your very own, stylized open and closed sign!
HEAR
Work: Let music (or quiet as the case may be) mark your space. If you like to work with tunes in the background, create a playlist (or a few!) that you only play while you’re working. If quiet is your go-to noise for productive work, and yet you’re finding yourself sharing space with a chatterbox of one variety or another, grab a white noise app, and create your own type of quiet.
Play: Switch it up! Take those earphones off and play the music out loud! Listen to something entirely different -- your favorite comedian’s latest podcast, a new album on Indie List, a playlist that’s full of nothing-but-fun tunes.
SMELL
Work: This one can be tough. The smells of a traditional office don’t often conjure up trademark scents (unless you work at a spa)! But if you associate a certain (appealing) smell with work, recreate it at home as best you can, in the space where your workstation is. If not, pick a peppy scent that you like that wakes you up, rather than one that lulls you to sleep. Think citrus, peppermint, ginger!
Play: Head to the kitchen!!! Take this opportunity to try out those recipes you’ve always wanted to try (especially if you have the ingredients on hand). If you don’t have any in mind, search for recipes that call for spices you don’t usually use. Spice up the smells in the kitchen to remind you that you’re still living, growing, exploring and having fun.
TASTE
Work: If the fast casual spot right next door to your office is the taste that comes to mind when you think of work, we need to conjure up something new! Remember that you’re really focused on delineating space and time here, so get creative. Are there snacks that can be work-time only snacks? What about chewing gum or adding a dish of those special mints to your workstation? It doesn’t need to be complicated -- even a tea that you only drink while you work can help you carve out that focused space.
Play: Back to the kitchen! Interior Matter knows the kitchen is operating in overdrive these days. Here’s where play can team up with a little indulgence. Go ahead and bake those cookies you love. Or that cake that you saw some YouTube sensation trot out claiming ease and effortless victory. Not into cooking, but love kitchen design? Treat yourself instead to some new mugs or brightly colored napkins to liven up your kitchen space. Little things can make even those oh-so-regular, go-to meals taste even better.
Interior Matter’s novel approach applies to carving out space made me think about ways to carve out time differently too. Check out Parachute’s 3-step guide to help you find your productive stride. (And BTW, it really works!)
Here’s to ignited senses and productive strides, but above all else, good health.