I finally dove into that part of the organization project I’ve been really dreading — the office/library/craft room.  (Well, I finally dove into tackling the office portion of it.  Baby steps!)  As I got started, I was reminded of some important elements that I thought I’d point out to you in case you’ve not thought about them before.

When you’re setting up or organizing your workspace, you have to take into consideration the way you work.  That might seem obvious, on the face of it, but have you ever taken the time to puzzle through the details?  I know, for instance, (from a bit of trial and a lot of error!) that I have to work from left to right.  If my inbox is on my right and my to-file basket is on my left, my whole space is totally dysfunctional.  So, while “left to right, or right to left?”  seems like a petty question, it’s actually the foundation of setting up my space to be effective!

That’s why “what’s working?” and “what’s not working?” are such helpful questions when you’re getting organized.  I would never have realized this about myself if I hadn’t had an office setup that didn’t work.  If you find yourself avoiding your workspace, that can actually be especially helpful…try to find out why you’re avoiding your space.  I tend to find myself avoiding my workspace (and using other spaces instead) as a result of factors like “too little light,” “not enough space to spread out,” etc.  Once you’ve answered the question, you can make plans to correct the things that are  “wrong” with your designated space.  (They’re almost always correctable — install a lamp, switch desks, flip-flop the office and the dining room, etc.)

A note to parents: be mindful of these things for your children, too!  The same things that make an effective work space make an effective study space.  If your child is avoiding his study space, see if you can figure out why.