My Space

I remember the first time I had a place of my own.

It was my 7th-grade?locker, given to me on the first day of junior high school (not “middle school;” that had not been invented yet).

Of course, I didn’t actually?own?the locker … they lent it to me.

But for that year,?it was 100% mine – to organize, decorate, visit whenever I wanted.?I put bright orange carpeting on the floor and fake wood paneling on the inside. (I know, I can’t believe I wasn’t more popular, either.)

I still remember the thrill of going back to “my place.”

Yes, I had my own room at home.?But the hours of operation and permitted behaviors were tightly regulated by the warden.?I mean my mother.

My locker? Well, nobody but I had any say over what went on in there.

Over the next several years, my “ownership” of personal space continued and even expanded…

New locker every year throughout junior high and high school.

Two years in a single dorm room, as was the standard at McGill University.

Ten years, in various apartments, living alone.

By the time Linda and I got married and space-sharing at home became a requirement (women, huh?), I had a job that came with a private office.

So, and not surprisingly,?when I left to start my own business, I knew I would again need a dedicated place of my own.?I immediately went out and rented office space.

Today, I’m on my fourth office, all of which have been similar: a single room, in a small building or converted house, in the center of whatever little town we live in.

And, like all those previous personal spaces,?I have complete jurisdiction: 24/7 access;?papers, files, and books organized however I like; free rein regarding furniture in use and overall decorative feel.

It’s just 250 square feet.?But it’s the one place on planet Earth over which I rule completely.?Granted, I am considering Greenland.

Personal Space Matters

Among those I know who work for themselves, there seems to be a fairly even split between those who work at home and those who, like me, prefer an office outside the house.

As to which is better,?I think back to what my friend?Jim?advised in 2000 when I expressed hesitation about paying office rent when I had zero clients:?“If the difference between your success and failure is $1000 a month, you don’t have a business. Do whatever makes you most productive.”

I took his advice and it’s worked out just fine. I like getting in my car and driving the five miles to my office. And I really, really like having it set up however I want, with no need to compromise or even explain why it is the way it is.

But… what happens when I retire??Do I keep paying for an office when there’s no offsetting income coming in? I mean, I love having it, but that’s a lot of money flying out the door every month.

And, unfortunately, our house is not really a good alternative.

We downsized to a smaller place a few years ago when our youngest left for college?(I still feel bad about not telling him where we went), and while it’s perfect for the two of us, there’s no extra room for me to occupy.

My “dedicated personal space” is a tiny desk in our bedroom, just big enough for me to pile bills waiting to be paid.

What Feels Right to You?

For those who have happily worked from home for years and years, this may be a nonissue.

Or maybe you don’t have the need for “my space,” and are just as happy to overlap with other people.

But that’s not me.

And while I don’t yet know how I may ultimately solve this dilemma,?I do believe the physical environment into which we retire is not a trivial thing.

Whether it’s maintaining a space of your own somewhere, or (equally important) not suddenly invading the space of your spouse/partner/pet who has been happily enjoying?their?space all these years without you around all the time, it’s definitely worth considering.

In the meantime, let me know if you have a locker I can borrow.

How about you??Did/do you work at home or elsewhere? Do you feel the need for your own personal space over which you have complete control? How will/did you manage this in retirement? Share your thoughts and experience below:

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