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September 03, 2006
Home office setup
I am 99% complete with one of my bigger projects this year- completely redecorating and refurnishing my home office. Here are the subprojects that are done:
Remove old furniture
Prepare for painting
Paint the room
Move in new furniture
Move in desk supplies, reference files, books, equipment
And still left to go-
Decorate the walls with inspiring and relaxing art
I am so pleased with my new room that I find I am drawn to it even more than my bedroom as a place to relax, surf the web, listen to music. That's how I know it is a success- I've often heard coaches here at The David Allen Company talk about how every task either repels or attracts you. And even more consequential, I've discovered firsthand that every piece of my GTD system will either attract or repel me. Revelation: it actually matters whether or not I enjoy my physical working environment. When it's pleasant and appealing, some part of the subconscious mind relaxes and can devote more of my creative energies to the work at hand.
Here's a picture of my new space. I often hear questions from new GTD users about how to setup their reference files, inbox, etc. So I thought I would share mine as yet another individual example. My basic setup consists of:
My laptop, mouse, speakers, printer, and Palm
An in-tray (I keep an inspirational photo and quote attached to the bottom of it, motivating me to get "in" to zero everyday!)
Trays for each of the GTD File Folders: To Office, Action Support, Read & Review, and my own Waiting For Action Support
My colorful GTD File Folders brighten up the otherwise bare room. And speaking of color, I LOVE my lavender file folders for my A-Z references. Anything you can do to make the mundane experiences more enjoyable, I say.
Hope you enjoy the pictures and feel inspired to do good things to your own space. If only you could see how hideous the room was before this!
Posted by Lisa at September 3, 2006 08:07 AM
Comments
Congratulations. I call this getting to zero. I will often have a next aciton @home "Home office back to zero."
It's refreshing.
I will now do my weekly review. No really, I'm gonna. Seriously. :-)
Posted by: J.R. at September 3, 2006 09:39 AM
I really like it, particularly the photo at the bottom of the intray! Congratulations and thanx for sharing.
Posted by: Pedro Areal at September 3, 2006 10:56 AM
Hello Lisa and everybody.
Your new work space looks very good. I try to copy your style and it was quitnice. I found one disadvantage if you want to work with paper I had no space to move my PC/Laptop avan and get space to put paper on the table. So I remove an upper layer from table and also make more space under the table in order to my feet fell free.
Posted by: Anton at September 8, 2006 04:04 AM
Thanks, all, for your comments! I would love to hear more about what you do (the same or differently) in your own office spaces.
-Lisa
Posted by: Lisa at September 8, 2006 08:27 AM
HEY! I helped you paint your room that wonderful lavendar color. I'm glad you changed it though. It looks so nice and organized and peaceful too. Hope all is well
Posted by: Camille at September 12, 2006 02:58 PM
Camille, you've found me! No worries, this is my office- the bedroom is and always will be lavender. :)
Posted by: Lisa at September 12, 2006 03:33 PM