Work It
What did your workspace look like this year? Did you use a desk, chalkboard, table, floor, or all of the above? What was essential (or completely non-essential) to your workflow?
This was the year I took a new job, one without an office. I'd never worked from home before, so I wasn't sure what to expect. What I quickly learned was that working at home is not for me. I missed the noise and activity of having other people around. My cat couldn't quite fill in.
A friend mentioned the Speak Easy, a shared workspace she had recently joined. I tried it out, and I loved the concept. I bring in my laptop and plunk down in any number of comfy chairs or tables and get to work. There are small meeting rooms I can sign out with the stoke of a dry erase marker, and a larger one I can use for my quarterly board meeting.
It's the best of both worlds - I can get my work done but there are plenty of people around also working, so I'm a little less likely to spend too much time on Facebook or Jezebel. And no one bats an eye if you break out a beer when the workday is done.
