Getting Work Done in a Small Living Space
This is a collaborative post
In recent years, more and more people have been consistently working from home than perhaps ever before — with many different industries having undergone major changes in this regard.
Working from home is something of an art to be mastered, in and of itself, and there’s been a growing amount of attention being paid to things like “the perfect home office setup” as a result.
But what about when you’re working out a small living space, such as student accomodation or a tiny minimalist home with one room? What steps can you take to actually get your work done when you don’t have anything like a home office space at your disposal?
Here are a few suggestions and pointers that might be helpful.
Endeavour to keep things tidy and “Zen”
In the book “Zen: The Art of Simple Living” by the Zen priest Shunmyo-Masuno, the author advises readers to be mindful of aesthetic qualities and a sense of harmony with regards to the small things in their everyday lives.
Among other things, he recommends carefully and neatly arranging the pens on your desk when finishing work for the day, and carefully lining up your shoes by the door once you’ve arrived home, as well.
He suggests that doing these things helps to invite beauty into your life, while also leading to a more tranquil and harmonious state of mind.
When you don’t have a lot of space to work with, in particular, endeavouring to keep things as tidy and “Zen” as possible may make all the difference when it comes to helping you to maintain a sense of mental clarity, and to be able to work consistently without feeling overwhelmed — among other things.
Reduce distractions and maximise focus with techniques like the Pomodoro Method
One of the key benefits of having a conventional office space set aside is that it can help to reduce distractions and to maximise focus. When working from home in a small living space, however, distractions are likely to be more plentiful, and focus is likely to be harder to come by.
Fortunately, techniques such as the Pomodoro Method can help to encourage focus, while making it easier for you to filter out distractions, as you’ll be working in manageable and timed bursts of activity.
Maintain certain rituals and props that get you into “work mode’
When you need to work at a desk that’s a few feet from your bed, making the shift from “home mode” to “work mode” can be tricky — but it’s very important to be able to effectively shift gears in this manner.
Maintaining certain rituals and props that help to set up “gates” that move you from one mode to another can be extremely important.
Maybe a ritual that helps to shift you into work mode could include getting dressed in a particular outfit and putting a particular ornament or item on your desk as you sit down. Even something as simple as starting work at the same time each day can be very powerful at getting you into “the zone.”
In recent years, more and more people have been consistently working from home than perhaps ever before — with many different industries having undergone major changes in this regard.
Working from home is something of an art to be mastered, in and of itself, and there’s been a growing amount of attention being paid to things like “the perfect home office setup” as a result.
But what about when you’re working out a small living space, such as student accomodation or a tiny minimalist home with one room? What steps can you take to actually get your work done when you don’t have anything like a home office space at your disposal?
Here are a few suggestions and pointers that might be helpful.
Endeavour to keep things tidy and “Zen”
In the book “Zen: The Art of Simple Living” by the Zen priest Shunmyo-Masuno, the author advises readers to be mindful of aesthetic qualities and a sense of harmony with regards to the small things in their everyday lives.
Among other things, he recommends carefully and neatly arranging the pens on your desk when finishing work for the day, and carefully lining up your shoes by the door once you’ve arrived home, as well.
He suggests that doing these things helps to invite beauty into your life, while also leading to a more tranquil and harmonious state of mind.
When you don’t have a lot of space to work with, in particular, endeavouring to keep things as tidy and “Zen” as possible may make all the difference when it comes to helping you to maintain a sense of mental clarity, and to be able to work consistently without feeling overwhelmed — among other things.
Reduce distractions and maximise focus with techniques like the Pomodoro Method
One of the key benefits of having a conventional office space set aside is that it can help to reduce distractions and to maximise focus. When working from home in a small living space, however, distractions are likely to be more plentiful, and focus is likely to be harder to come by.
Fortunately, techniques such as the Pomodoro Method can help to encourage focus, while making it easier for you to filter out distractions, as you’ll be working in manageable and timed bursts of activity.
Maintain certain rituals and props that get you into “work mode’
When you need to work at a desk that’s a few feet from your bed, making the shift from “home mode” to “work mode” can be tricky — but it’s very important to be able to effectively shift gears in this manner.
Maintaining certain rituals and props that help to set up “gates” that move you from one mode to another can be extremely important.
Maybe a ritual that helps to shift you into work mode could include getting dressed in a particular outfit and putting a particular ornament or item on your desk as you sit down. Even something as simple as starting work at the same time each day can be very powerful at getting you into “the zone.”
