Everyone who knows me knows I love beautiful things. Ugly objects, no matter how utilitarian they are, hurt my eyes and shrink my creativity. It’s one of the reasons I love working from home: I’m surrounded by things I’ve chosen for their meaning, their esthetic, or their ability to soothe or inspire me.
Michelle Slatalla, writing for the Wall Street Journal says there’s science to back up my pickiness. “Turns out, comfort in a home office isn’t frivolous, it’s functional”, she writes. She quotes Joann Peck, a business professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who studies how objects can improve focus. “If the place you work makes you feel happy, it can spark creativity.”
I’ve always known this. When I’m stuck for ideas, gazing around my home office can serve as a form of meditation and recreation – and a review of my eclectic tastes. My water cup is a reminder of our trip to Montreal. My coaster, purchased in Santa Fe, features a Kokopelli figure. A baseball, autographed by some of my beloved Atlanta Braves. Two temple dog figurines. A green quartz crystal, said to enhance intuition and creativity. And a plaque that reminds me to stay original: “Be yourself. You’re so d**n good at it.”
One of the water hyacinth baskets on my shelves is filled with cat toys so my Siamese assistant, Kismet, can pick out her own favorite each day. She also has her own laptop so she’s less likely to try to nap on my keyboard.
Virginia Woolf understood that having a room of one’s own was essential to a woman’s success as a writer (though many great writers have sweated out great work at a crowed dining room table, as well.) For Woolf, the room is a symbol of freedom and investment in intellect. My room is the place where I can be very focused on my ideas or let my gaze and focus soften while I wait for the next idea to come.
A comfortable reading chair, the option for soft lighting, (but also enough to see documents clearly), and beautiful writing instruments make work more pleasurable. My mouse pad is a miniature oriental rug. I keep office supplies in a lovely Chinese cabinet. I collect beautiful pens to take notes with, although they have not improved the beauty of my handwriting, alas.
Keeping my home office orderly and serene is a pleasure, and tidying up at the end of my workday is one of the micro habits I recommended in this post.
Although my home office is the place I go to take care of business, its style and color scheme blend into the rest of my home, so when I transition from work mode to off duty mode, it feels like a change of place, but not a change of scenery. It feels esthetic and authentic, unlike most curated spaces you see on Instagram or Tik Tok.
The only thing I envy online influencers is their ability to frame a camera shot with a killer background. My office’s setup doesn’t allow for that unless I let the real-life view be of cords and chaos from the back of my equipment. My background is neutral, and if I get antsy about it, I can always spring for a custom Zoom background or resort to blur.
But I probably won’t. That leads to another important point: I have also given myself permission to call my home office décor “done.” Once I quit looking around for ways to improve it or add to it, I could relax into my work and stay focused on my keyboard. My perfectionist inner voice could relax and help me with the work that matters.
If your working space does not make you happy and more creative, here are some tips for improving it.
Your Work, Your Way 