3 Ways to audit your workspace to align with your priorities

If your space isn’t welcoming to you, if all you feel is overwhelmed when you enter it; if you struggle to get organized in it, or it’s off-balance in terms of how the space is used, then it may be time for an audit. Auditing my workspace didn't just help me with productivity; it taught me something about my priorities.

Have you ever gone into someone else’s space and been inspired? I always marvel at the creative vision that brings a space together to make it work, to make it have so much... personality. It’s like you can tell who uses that space and why.

I’ve always tried to express who I am in my spaces too. My style leans journey eclectic--African fabrics, Chinese weapons, Aztec symbols--all representing part of my journey. And books. Lots of colorful books. From the weapons on my wall to the purple curtains, I want my space to introduce me to others, to say something about who I am, where I've been, and what I do.?That means it also says something about what I value.

Take my home office for example. I do all the things in that space--I record auditions, I meet with clients (virtually), I write, I grade student work. Everything. So, as you can imagine, my office has gone through some design changes. And it hasn't been easy integrating everything I do--who I am as a Creative and as an Academic--into a single space meant to be and do so much. I've got some advice for those of us who want a space that's productive AND has personality.

Here's what I've learned.

Audit #1: Get used to it--or get it right.

The first time I realized my space wasn't working for me was when I found myself frowning just walking into my office. Something was...annoying. Why? I was the one who had put it together. It had eclectic elements...second hand this, textured that. What was the problem? Then, it dawned on me. It was the walls. I hated the weird mustard color on the walls. But this wasn't a revelation; I knew I hated it when I first put it on the walls (Yes, that was me.). But I was so overwhelmed with all the other important things I needed to do that I just let it stay.

I'll get used to it, I said to myself. It's close enough, I reasoned.

Part of that was true. I did get used to it. But not in a good way. I started to feel dread every time I came into the room, and then convince myself that it was still fine--and I was too busy to change it. I would move things all around that room every few months, trying to strike the right "tone" and balance. Nothing worked. You know why? Because every time I entered into that space, I was actually subconsciously de-prioritizing myself. I hated the color and instead of fixing it, I decided everything else was more important. That color affected my mood and my work, daily. That mustard mess created mental work for me in that space; it repelled me and being in the space felt forced. It wasn't about the color, though. I had a priority problem. Was I going to keep pushing past my disdain (in my own house!) into a space that didn't feel right?

I finally got fed up. Over the course of a weekend, I painted it a gorgeous, warm, tiger sunset orange. I had smiles for every wall. I felt my mood lift over every stroke of the brush. The color highlights my world map, sunset photo, the books on my shelves, the colorful map on my wall, and the Chinese tiger tapestry from my father's Kung Fu school. Every time I come into my office now, I feel a sense of cohesion and order. I thought it was just the walls, but now everything in the room that I love beckons to me, and I smile back as I enter.

What visible annoyances are you holding onto in your workspace and why? What difference could it make in your productivity if you created a different visual palette for your space?

Audit #2: Curate for purpose, not potential.

Sometimes, because space is limited, we try to make the most of what little we have--and we end up with a space that doesn't work at all. At one point, I was treating my office that way too. In trying to allow it to accommodate potential needs, I was losing sight of the purpose of the space.

My office is a space for me to think, record, develop, and create. Instead of working toward curating space for those purposes, I found myself treating the space like a guest room. For example, I had the bright idea to put a whole bed in there–despite the fact that 98.99% of the time, there was no one visiting to sleep in it. For some reason, I thought it was important to be at the ready to hand over my workspace for company. So I put a bed--that I would have to walk around every single day--in a room for the potential of a visitor, who might show up maybe once or twice in a year. Meanwhile, I had no good space to spread out and do the work I needed to do (spreading papers out on a bed is an invitation to either take a nap or see a chiropractor). As a result of prioritizing potential rather than purpose, I would use other parts of the house, or coffee shops, as office space.

The truth is that there are other ways to accommodate people without turning my office into the Holiday Inn. Why not invest in a really good air mattress, re-arrange children for a night or two, or even help with a hotel room nearby? I had to start prioritizing the unique purpose of my workspace instead of getting caught up in its multi-purpose potential. Now, I have a chair that can unfold into a single person futon-type bed; it takes up no extra space and serves as a comfortable, stylish space to read or record.

What I really understood after auditing that "potential visitor" mindset was that my priority had become the temporary comfort of others, even if that meant I would be uncomfortable daily. I didn't need a bed in my office for a potential visitor; maybe I just needed to prioritize visits to family and friends.

What is the purpose of your workspace and how might you set up everything in that space to reflect that purpose?

Audit #3: Go with your flow.

Since I do a number of things in a single space, it was difficult to figure out the right "flow." I would bump my knees against my desk regularly, move furniture around frequently, create paper piles I soon forgot, and buy various "doo-dads" to (supposedly) help me work more effectively in the space. I would get frustrated by the messiness, and often felt surrounded by all the "stuff." The reality: My space setup just wasn't working with my flow.

I clicked through hundreds of HGTV and IKEA photos of workspaces for inspiration. I watched enough design shows to recognize when the feng shui is on and when it's off. I did a very helpful document and storage room "edit." But the harmony in my workspace remained off. Putting things away doesn't fix your flow, it fixes your aesthetic. Sooner or later, if the organizing system doesn't support your workflow, it will break down.

I had to get over trying to conform to the pictures I found that had lovely, carefully crafted show-piece workspaces where everything had its perfectly crafted placement. Most of those spaces seemed to have only one purpose, or they were workspaces squeezed into another space's flow (the kitchen). Those are ideal--for someone. I didn't know until I'd spent lots of money and time trying to fit my circular thinking into some very square spaces, that creating a unique workspace requires attention to a unique workflow.

So I had to audit my workflow to figure out what my priorities should be for the several things that I do. One of the most important changes I made was to take my desks out of an L-formation and put them side by side. My two desks, placed alongside each other, work well for me because I can slide back and forth from one computer to the other. (No more banged knees.) Accepting my workflow means creating a space that prioritizes my productivity and the aesthetics. One day I will definitely have a designer make the office look more posh--but it won't be at the expense of my workflow--or my knees.

How do you work most effectively? How does your space reflect your workflow, productivity, and style?

Your workspace needs to welcome YOU into the work. It doesn’t need to feel like model homes or design studios. It needs to make you smile. It needs to be inviting, ask you to come in and take a seat. It also needs to remind you of who you are and what you've accomplished.

Every version of our workspace reveals our priorities. It reveals what we need and care about at the moment. Take a look at your space: What is it saying about your priorities right now? Be intentional about curating how you feel when you enter the space, the purposes for the space, and your unique workflow. You determine who and what is important in that space.

So look around your workspace and ask yourself these 3 questions right NOW:

1. What do I want to welcome into this space? Do I need quiet solitude (There are no chairs, friend, so keep it moving!), or connection (comfy chairs and side tables)? Set it up for what you need to happen in the space right now.
2. What colors and textures reflect the energy that I want to feel in the space? Get the paint, the pillows, the blankets, whatever colors and textures that make you smile and want to spend time there.
3. How does the setup ease my workflow? Take everything out of the room and picture your ideal flow in that space. Do you want to walk freely, lie on the floor sometimes, or pedal a bike while you're in that meeting? Put the objects in the room that create productivity; sell or give away everything else.

Share what changes--big or small--that you made to your workspace. Let's get inspired to prioritize spaces that support unique vision.

--Dr. Helane