office space.

April 20, 2009

office_spacefriday was my last day of work at my old office. as i prepare to head back to school in the fall, i decided that the time had come for me to leave a job that wasn’t feeling like it was all that it could be, and try something new for awhile. how exactly i’ll spend the next few months is not entirely clear (and the work i do may include many more babies and ketchup-stained  napkins than i’ve been accustomed to), but i’m ready for the change. today i sat here and worked on a project for my sister. 

 
an open window. natural light. wildflowers in a glass milk bottle. ah, sweet freedom.
 
but what about the work part? i felt less focused than usual (though this might have been partially due to checking in with smitten readers’ favorite flowers…it was too fun, i couldn’t help myself!). but all this fresh air and flowers made me entirely more ready to take a stroll outside than to buckle down and do work.
 
what do you think? what’s your ideal work space? how do you stay focused and happy?

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15 Comments

  • Reply naturally nina April 20, 2009 at 11:55 pm

    That looks beautiful, Erin. My idea work space is something like that… laptop, quiet, drink nearby, maybe some soft music… and a window.

    Congratulations on your big change. 🙂

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  • Reply Laura Trevey April 21, 2009 at 12:49 am

    great sunlight pouring through the window… lovely flowers… sure to put a smile on your face 🙂

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  • Reply wunderbug April 21, 2009 at 1:04 am

    ooooh! everyone’s going back to school and i have to admit – i’m jealous. i’d love to go back to school.. i just dont know what for.

    it’d be super easy for me, though, cause i work at a university – i guess the next step’s narrowing it down now. 🙂

    what are you going back for? (sorry if i missed it in another post!)

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  • Reply Nicole Marie April 21, 2009 at 2:22 am

    i work best at the library or cafe. it takes me double the time to do any work at home because i get so distracted and decide i have to clean the bathrooms,kitchen, floors and windows before i can possibly start my paper!

    what are you going back to school for??

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  • Reply Erin April 21, 2009 at 2:31 am

    yes, i know what you mean…our kitchen floor is now spotless. i think i might try the library trick tomorrow. (i get embarrassed if people in public catch me looking at my facebook account, so i just don’t do it…:)

    i’m headed into a program in public humanities…i’m going to focus on the built environment and historic architecture…why we should preserve it, what it teaches us, how we derive meaning from it…that sort of thing! i’m v. excited!

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  • Reply debbie April 21, 2009 at 4:21 am

    anything with windows! i work in the subbasement (that’s below the basement!) so there are no windows, and definitely no fresh air.

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  • Reply Melita April 21, 2009 at 4:26 am

    my office space is currently my couch, the kitchen table, the floor, or where ever i decide to plot down with my laptop. due to being recently laid off, i am diving head long into studying for the gmat to get back into grad school in the fall. i can’t wait. a welcome change for me. congrats on being featured on smitten!! that’s awesome!!

    1
  • Reply lesley April 21, 2009 at 6:28 am

    my ideal workspace would be a studio with a full wall of windows overlooking the ocean on the beautiful sunshine coast here in bc. since i can’t have that just yet i am happy with my little sewing nook in the kitchen, with lots of bright light and my two kiddies milling around in my space. staying happy comes naturally, but the focused part is a tough one for me 😉

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  • Reply abby April 21, 2009 at 12:10 pm

    ha! ocean view? that would rock. lots of natural light, a window with a good view (lots of green, preferably), a cup of tea with some sweets, and some pretty little things nearby to adorn the space. it’s all coming sooooooo . . .

    and i look forward to learning about what you’re going back to school for! congrats!

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  • Reply James April 21, 2009 at 1:54 pm

    i consider myself an ecological physiologist, and my work consists mainly of collecting data from the field and analysis of data in the lab. without a doubt, i prefer to be in a field setting (rain or shine)!

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  • Reply Erin April 21, 2009 at 2:00 pm

    james, i’m shocked!

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  • Reply Thao April 21, 2009 at 2:26 pm

    Lovely office space! All that natural light must be so conducive to creative work. I’m going back to school in the fall too, and I have to find a way to set up a good area in which to write–otherwise I’ll be spending way too much time and money at the corner cafe. Congrats on going to grad school–it’s so exciting!

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  • Reply Grace@PoeticHome April 21, 2009 at 10:40 pm

    Your new academic endeavors sound very exciting and relevant to today’s society!

    Your work space looks lovely with the light. If I could, I would love to work on a balcony with lots of flowers and greenery about. In the interim, I shall settle for an office shared with my husband 😉

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  • Reply umama April 21, 2009 at 11:17 pm

    I love the light coming through!

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  • Reply Julie April 22, 2009 at 1:37 am

    i’m very happy for you! a little less than a year ago, i took some time off from work to do some soul searching and to focus on the things that i love. since moving to houston i’ve managed to find two jobs that are more in line with what i want to do, so i feel like my life is headed in the direction that i envision for myself! have fun these next few months and don’t be afraid to take that walk and leave work behind every now and then – or a lot. 🙂

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