Jakob Wilmer’s Guide to a Productive Workspace
Workspaces are distinct areas made with one purpose. To allow you to work. Ideally, to work undistracted, with minimal effort and with the best possible result.
No work is the same, and thus no workspace is the same. A tailor requires one set of tools, a carpenter requires another. The digital homeworker needs yet another. But even among tailors, carpenters or homeworkers, workspaces are not the same — they are unique and adjust to your individual needs.
This is my Guide to Productive Workspaces
STEP 1. Addressing PRODUCTIVITY
Productivity = Focus = Without distraction. The goal of increasing productivity is thus to remove distractions. Firstly, let’s have a look at exclusivity.
Workspaces should allow you to work, and thus the workspace should be a space only for working, ideally. This doesn’t mean that is must allow only one thing, however…
…spaces can usually be divided into 4 parts. These are not strict, nor are my categorisations. 1. Sleep & Relax, 2. Social & Entertainment, 3. Work & Study, 4. Kitchen & Food. Try to divide your own home into these blocks. You might find that you lack some — maybe you have no room for a distinct social area, or perhaps your workspace is in a different location — namely at work!
Some of these spaces overlap — your dining table should suit for both social interactions and food, and your sofa for both napping and chatting. The workspace however, is preferably left only to work and studies. Don’t try to relax at your workspace, eat food where you relax or work where you eat or cook food (talking from experience).
Respecting the boundries of each block your body adapts to where you are, and good habits form. After a while, you might find yourself less sleepy at your desk, and find less crumbles in your bed.
Secondly, and equally important is practicality.
Having a distraction free workspace is key for productivity. But a workspace is not distraction free if it isn’t practical. Practicality reduces the time it takes to finish a task, and thus works against friction. Your workspace should enhance your work, and anything that doesn’t contribute to the speed of this task is reduntant, and thus you should keep your workspace as clean as possible.
Necessary tools should be easily at hand. If you regurarly need a hammer, then a hammer should be put in arms reach. If you use a lot of paper, then a suitable location to store them in should be provided. If you need to analyze big amount of digital data, then your workspace should provide ample monitor space. Whatever you require in terms of equipment, storage and space to work (or everything a workspace can provide) your workspace should provide you just that.
STEP 2. Addressing ERGONOMICS
According to Merriam-Webster, ergonomics is defined as “an applied science concerned with designing and arranging things people use so that the people and things interact most efficiently and safely”.
Whereas the first step focuses on efficiency, this focuses on safety. I presume most of you have seen the classic guide on how to sit comfortably and “ergonomic” in front of a desk.
The problem with these illustrations (there are literally thousands, and they are all practically the same) is that they all assume a sitting position. Common nowadays are standing desks that allow you to switch between a sitting and standing position. Standing relieves you from the strains of sitting and engages your muscles. This is preferred from sitting.
Less common however, is the floor desk. A floor desk is closer to the ground than a normal desk and is meant to be used sitting on the ground. Sitting on the ground is normal practice in big parts of the world but has been forgotten in the western world.
Sitting on the ground allows for higher flexibility and stronger muscles, which the use of chairs has left stiff and weak. Floor desks are thus preferred over normal desks, but ideally you would have a desk ranging from a floor position to a standing position; these seem, however, yet to have been invented. It only takes some willpower and a workspace (and some material) and you can be the first!
STEP 3. Addressing AESTHETICS
There is usually a great fixation of the aesthetics of a workspace. It shouldn’t only be practical but also aesthetically pleasing, the saying goes. Unfortunately, there’s a tendency towards the latter, with people redesigning their workspaces with the sole purpose of making it look better. But usually, a good looking workspace reflects its practicality. A practical workspace is a frictionless workspace, which often is clean and organized, and thus aesthetically pleasing.
There’s a dangerous trap falling into, following the latest trends when it comes to designing desks. Just have a look at a random desk design video, or a place like r/workspaces. They are all searching for a similar design, obsessing over specific objects like monitor light bars, expensive microphones, and RGB lights everywhere.
No trend or YouTube-video can accommodate all your work-related needs, and by copying others it isn’t something you have done yourself. There’s a big pride in doing something yourself, and often it turns out to look and feel better than had you bought it.
Emphasise on practicality and removing distractions and your workspace will become not only aesthetically pleasing, but you will find a reward in making something of your own, that reflects you and your work.
STEP 4. Addressing this Guide…
A workspace should let you focus on your work. If you are reading this, you are probably in need of something that makes your work more efficient and enjoyable. However, the workspace in a material sense is usually not the primary issue. A monitor light won’t make you work better…
Working is about actually doing the work, and a workspace only allows you to do that, but it won’t do the work for you. It is up to you to do the work, and no workspace will ever be more sufficient in getting things done than willpower, dedication and good habits. Good habits, especially.
Improving these before you improve your workspace will get you further than anyone focusing primarily on their workspace.
Get your goals and motivations straight, and identify your drive, and then things will become clearer on what to do.
I wish you good luck in improving your work, and I hope this guide might have helped you a bit on the way.
Jakob Wilmer — July 2022
