At Home: Where the Work Actually Gets Done
What if the best place to work isn’t always the place designed for it?
(Additional sources: rug, wall color, molding, couch)
I know where I’m supposed to work. At the table. Sitting upright, away from distractions, with everything I need in front of me. And sometimes I do.
But when I have a lot of writing to get through, especially the kind that takes more energy than I have to give, I usually end up somewhere else. I plop down on the couch with a cup of tea, grab a pillow, put my feet on the coffee table, and turn on a movie. It may be something I like, but more often than not, it’s something I want to look at when I glance up—beautiful lighting, clothes, interiors, scenery. It becomes part of the atmosphere around the work.
Sure, it’s not what the couch or coffee table was designed for. And probably not what anyone would recommend as the ideal work setup. But somehow, it helps.
It got me thinking about the places we create for productivity, the places where we actually manage to get things done, and when comfort helps us do difficult things.
That became the idea for this Edit.
The Psychology Behind It
There’s an interesting tension between comfort and productivity. We tend to design work environments around focus—a desk, an upright chair, good lighting, limited distractions. And there are good reasons for that. Our environments can cue particular behaviors, and having a dedicated place to work can make it easier to shift into work mode.
But the task matters too. When something feels mentally or emotionally demanding, small sources of comfort can help make the experience feel less unpleasant. A familiar environment, something warm to drink, a comfortable place to sit or even something beautiful to look at can become part of the ritual that helps us settle in.
That doesn’t mean the couch is suddenly the perfect ergonomic office. Sometimes the desk really is the better choice. But perhaps productivity isn’t always about creating the environment in which we should work. It may be just about noticing the conditions that actually help us begin and keep going.
The Collection
Kathy Kuo Valmere Tan Striped Ruffled Indoor/Outdoor Throw Pillow
Not exactly an office accessory. But sometimes a little physical comfort makes an uncomfortable task easier to stay with.
John Derian Astier De Villatte Heart Mug
Part drink, part ritual. Making tea is one of those small transitions that tells me I’m settling in for a while. And if I’m going to make tea, I might as well use a cup that makes the ritual feel a little more special.
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Image via Viktoria Latka Art Shop on Etsy
Image via Marco Cappello Vintage & Design on Chairish
Viktoria Latka Woman’s Face Painting: Original Oil Painting 16×20”
Art, flowers, an interesting object or vase. When you look away from the screen, give your eyes somewhere pleasant to land.
Luigi Bandini for Kartell Floor Lamp
I’ve wanted this lamp for years. Its oversized curve and suspended globe feel like a wow statement, while bringing a softer, warmer feeling to working at home, especially when the work stretches into the evening.
Image via IMDb
Maison Deux Color Block Blanket
Another decidedly non-office object that can make settling into draining work feel a little less draining.
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So I first watched this movie not really knowing what to expect, but I was immediately enamored by the cinematography. I loved the sun-washed color, the beautiful settings, and the effortless vintage styling. In my nontraditional work environment, I want the things around me to do more than function. I want them to create a mood and keep me inspired. The film is a reminder of how much atmosphere can shape the way a space feels.
1st Dibs John Mascheroni Tubo Coffee Table
Possibly the hardes-working object in the Edit, the coffee table can accommodate feet, tea, papers, and whatever accumulates while you're working. It reinforces the larger idea that the way we actually live at home doesn’t always follow neat categories.
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A Closer Look
We spend a lot of time thinking about how a home should function. A dining table is for eating. A desk is for working. A couch is for relaxing. And there are certainly practical reasons for giving things their place.
But real life tends to be less orderly. Sometimes the dining table becomes a place for homework. The kitchen counter becomes somewhere to answer emails. And the couch becomes the place where a report finally gets written.
Maybe a home doesn’t always have to tell us how to behave. Sometimes the most supportive spaces are the ones we’re allowed to use a little differently.
Try This…
Notice where you naturally go when you really need to get something done.
Bring one comforting ritual into a difficult task.
Give yourself something beautiful to look at when you look away from the screen.
Let a room, or a piece of furniture serve a purpose it wasn’t necessarily designed for.
Pay attention to whether your environment is actually helping you work or simply looking like a place where work should happen.
