Your workspace can be a tremendous source of strength and inspiration throughout the work day. I firmly believe that if you set up your space with intention, going to work will be inspiring and something that gives you energy. I’ve worked to create a space that gives me creativity, allows me to stay in a positive place, and to unplug when necessary.

What should you all include in your workspace?

Learn more at https://www.adamliette.com

Discover the 5 secrets to run your business like a Special Operator: https://www.adamliette.com/sof

Transcript

So this past weekend, we had some friends out, they hadn't been to our house in some time, and they got a chance to see my workspace in the building I've created for work and got me thinking that really your workspace can be just a huge source of strength and inspiration throughout the workday. And I firmly believe that if you set up your space with intention, like going to work is inspiring. It's something you look forward to something that gives you energy. So I've really worked carefully to create that space. Because it does give me creativity allows me to stay in a in a positive place, and even to unplug when necessary. So let me just go through a couple of things that I've done to really set myself up for success in my workspace. And some things I definitely encourage you to consider, especially as you're moving into if this is moving into a profession for you, if this is something you're going to be doing long term.

Because many people like in the last two and a half years, I mean, we've heard all about working remotely and seeing what other people have done. I can't even tell you the number of bad Facebook photos, I've seen people's haphazardly put together workspaces. And honestly, I don't blame them, if they were only going to be doing it for a month or two or short term. You know, just setting something up to get by I fully understand that completely get it I've done the same thing when I've done remote work on the road from hotel rooms. Or when I was in the military still I I just set up shop wherever I landed. And that was my workspace. So I was already working remotely in, you know, I was already moonlighting in this online space when I was still in the military. So that's exactly what I did, I'd you know, pick up the cheapest little card table, I could find just to set up and have a place fully get that if you're moving into a profession, though, where this is going to be what you're doing for a long directed period of time, it's going to serve you so well by just taking a couple of steps here. Just to really give yourself that space, give yourself that professional area where you're able to work, have your focus and separate home from work, I think that's one of the most important things is having that distinct delineation between home life and work life and be able to separate those two things.

So for me, I was somewhat lucky and that I have a very big backyard. So I was able to put my office in the backyard. And in many ways I was actually forced to because my wife works from home as well and runs a home daycare. So there's absolutely no chance in the world that I'd be able to stay inside the main house. There are kids running everywhere is what are you going to do tell two year olds to not make noise during the day of it's not possible. It's not fair to them, it's not fair to my wife, to ask her to try to keep the noise down so I can work. Instead, I gotta go find somewhere else. So I built a building in my backyard, I come from a carpentry background. So I was able to do a lot of that myself. But there are stock options available for small buildings on most budgets. So you can find these on Lowe's dot com or home depot.com You can find these little I guess the worst word of the day would be like a she shed type of building that you can put in your backyard these like 10 feet by 12 feet. So not a huge space. But enough that it's something you can actually make your own something you can set up to be that place you go to. There also many, you know, different work from you know, work remotely places where you can rent office space, that's not available where I live, I live in a very rural part of the country. Like we don't have those things. So you got to build it yourself if you want it. So that's the route I took. I actually we had a big barn in our backyard, I converted it. Basically I had to tear the whole thing down in start new so I can get a new foundation and everything. So it wasn't a cheap project for me. But I was definitely looking at the bigger picture that I wanted to put my workshop out here I do carpentry. And I wanted to have my space. So I really took the time to set this up.

Right do all the thinking of what I wanted in this area knowing that this is going to be where I work until the day I retire. So really wanted to make it right. So that's what I did. I set up this space in the backyard. So I do commute to work, which is kind of nice. I go to work. It's only like 100 foot walk to the backyard. But it's the actual intention of leaving for work. And I've actually heard some people, even if they work from home from the main house will actually get in their car and drive somewhere. Just so they get that commuting feeling. So that's an interesting thing. facet that I've heard from some people use to actually, in their mind go to work. So maybe drive up and get a cup of coffee or something to drink, or, you know, run an errand on the way to work, so to speak. Alright, a couple of other things, I really encourage having like invest the money in a high quality desk, I did get a standing desk, so I can stand about half the day. And the desk and the particular desk that I got, I didn't get a top four, because I wanted to make my own top.

So I ended up constructing this and it's really high quality. It's huge, too. It's like six foot by three foot desktop that moves up and down. And it's made a maple, so it's really strong. This was definitely a labor of love to build a desktop like this. You don't need to go all out though many of the standup desks will come with stock, stock desktop options, or you can go to the hardware store and pick up something made out of pine be perfectly fine, they do have pre made laminate types of materials, and those will work perfectly fine for you. So but do get a high quality desk. One that stands is my preference is because I don't like to sit all day, I do like to make sure I am standing at least you know three quarters or a quarter to half of the day, just to keep my my body moving a little bit. Now even then, when you are sitting, get yourself a high quality chair, make that investment, get something that is comfortable, short term, yep, folding chairs were just fine, you're gonna be hating yourself after a couple of months, so and your body's really going to start to betray you.

So do get a high quality chair that is able to provide that support you need be something that you're comfortable sitting in for hours at a time when needed. Because you know, that's the factor of life, you know, you're going to be sitting for quite a bit of the time. So invest the money in that, and you will not regret it. Some of the high quality chairs lasts for years and years and years. So it's definitely worth that investment. Another thing that I really like is having plenty of monitors, I do work from a big computer. So I already have a large iMac. But I I just find it very nice when I'm doing big projects to have multiple monitors. So I can have different things on my desktop have the email open over here have slack open, versus trying to work from a small desktop, or a small laptop, particularly laptop screens, I can only stand for so many hours. And then I kind of want my big, I want my big space. Again, I do have the laptop kind of as a backup plus for when I am traveling. And it's just a different mindset I have when I am on the laptop, I do like having plenty of monitors so I can properly do my job. The other thing is to have a snack or coffee area, you're going to want drinks throughout the day, you're gonna want a cup of tea or a cup of coffee or whatever it is that you drink during the day have that in your office space, just a little area set up with a you know, I use a French press and I have a water kettle out here. All the supplies I need everything is right at my fingertips, so that I never have to leave the office during the day everything is right here. And even I put a mini fridge out here too. So I can bring my lunch. It's it's kind of akin to when I used to go to an office job and I would pack a lunch.

So I did the same thing here I pack my lunch, I bring it out here, I don't have to leave to go do those things. Everything's right here within my area. Actually just recently put a microwave in as well. So I can microwave food if I do need to. Everything's right here don't have to leave this. The one thing with that though, is you really do want to have a rest and relaxation area someplace you can get off of the desk. If you're eating lunch and you want to go sit down, you know, put an easy chair out here or, or some kind of a loveseat or a futon, something where you can take a break off the desk, eat your lunch or just relax if you need 20 minutes off to read a book or just to get that time away from the screen, have an internal to your office. Because again, every time you leave, you're having to reset when you come back. So if you're pulling along hours if you're working professionally from this kind of a space, having everything right here is super nice. Because you don't have to leave you can stay in that I'm at work mindset. I'm just taking a break much like you have a lounge in many professional environments.

I have a lounge in my own office space where if I'm tired, I need a 20 minute power nap I can do it right out here. I don't have to leave. I don't have to put on my coat or anything like that. Everything's right here at my disposal. With that also brought out things that inspire me. So I brought a lot of my book collection is out here with me. You know various different things I've gotten throughout the years little mementos, keepsakes, I have them out here because it does inspire me it gives me a little bit of creative outlet. Something to if I need to take my mind off work for 20 or 30 minutes to take a midday siesta. I have it right out here. And this so this is my area in many ways. It's not just a work area. It's

kind of my man lounge and In so many ways. And the final thing is what I like to call in the military we have these books that we call I love me books. And your I love me book is it's a terrible name isn't it. But your I love me book is simply a book with all of your accomplishments that you've done in the military. So it's certificates that you've gotten awards, you've gotten your NCO yards, which those are your annual reviews, every bit of paperwork that follows you in your career goes in your I love me book. And that way, when you have everything in one place, if you ever need a board review or something like that, or you're going up for promotion, you have everything with you. I encourage having an eye Love Me area. So I have this little shelf on my bookshelf, that's just it's keepsakes from my past, it's things that I've gotten overseas different awards that I've gotten different mementos, I have this wonderful 82nd Airborne Division bottle of bourbon that will remain on opened, very special edition, that bottle of bourbon that I bought just to put on the shelf.

And that's just a reminder of who I am, where I came from. It's good inspiration for when I need it. So I tried to keep those things out here with me, it's definitely a part of my personality part of my my spirit part of what motivates me. So anything that gives you that creative positive energy, even just to pick me up are a pat on the back when you need it, because you're gonna go through tough times, that's reality. So having that area having those things, pictures of your family, like treat this as you would the corner suite of a high rise, where you always see that from executives have their I love me areas, their family pictures and awards and gotten diplomas, they bring that to the office with them, that's part of who they are. That's part of bringing home to work with them do I do encourage that as well for when setting up a professional home space. So overall, it means you're going to either hate your workspace or love going to the office as how I see it. I made the conscious decision, this is what I'm going to be doing for the rest of my professional life. I don't ever intend on going back to an actual office. Because I've really come to like and appreciate the remote work environment and excel in in many ways. So there's really no reason for me to even consider going back to a traditional working environment. If that's you and you are in that same position. Taking some of these steps is going to really help to professionalize your area give you that little bit of zest that you need and provide that that warm feeling that having a good office having a good workspace, it can really help in the times that you need it. And when you need it, man, you're going to be so glad that you do have it.