IMAGE SOURCES (from left to right): modelcity | the socialite family | remodelista | stillinspiration
SEVERAL MONTHS AGO I LEFT THE COMPANY I WORKED FOR, FOR OVER 12 YEARS. I LOVED MY JOB, BUT IT WAS TIME FOR SOMETHING ELSE. FIGURING OUT WHAT THAT WAS THOUGH, PROVED TO BE LESS THAN EASY...
IT HAS BEEN AND SOMETIMES STILL IS AN ASTONISHING PUSH&PULL DISCUSSION IN MY MIND. because NOW THAT EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE: "WHAT IS IT I TRULY WANT TO DO? WHAT IS IT I AM TRULY GOOD AT?" DECEIVINGLY SIMPLE QUESTIONS. ANYONE WHO HAS BEEN IN THE SAME POSITION WILL RECOGNISE THIS.
SO MANY DAYS (AND NIGHTS) I SPENT FORCEFULLY TRYING TO ANWER THESE QUESTIONS. to DETERMINE A PLAN AND GO FOR IT! I WAS PUTTING ENORMOUS PRESSURE ON MYSELF AND OVER-THINKING EVERY SINGLE LITTLE DETAIL. GOING FROM BEING A HANDS-ON CREATIVE TEAM PLAYER TO A ONE (WO)MAN SHOW IN MY HEAD AT HOME... I GOT STUCK.
ONE EVENING, ONE OF MY DEAREST GIRLFRIENDS CAME OVER FOR DINNER, AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS CHALLENGE I WAS DEALING WITH. AND WHAT I WAS UNABLE TO SEE, SHE PICKED UP STRAIGHT AWAY. I WAS COMPLETELY STUCK IN MY MIND, WITHOUT ANY BREAK OR STRUCTURE. I NEEDED TO CONSIDER THIS CHALLENGE A JOB, AND BE ABLE TO PHYSICALLY "START" WORK AND "FINISH" WORK. EVEN IF IT WAS AT HOME, ACTUALLY ESPECIALLY IF IT WAS AT HOME. SHE SUGGESTED I CREATE A HOME OFFICE!
THE MOMENT SHE SAID THIS I REALISED SHE WAS EXACTLY RIGHT. AND NOT JUST BECAUSE I LOVED THE IDEA OF A GORGEOUSLY MERCHANDISED DESK IN MY HOME (WHICH I ABSOLUTELY DID! I WON'T GET INTO HOW MANY HUNDREDS OF IMAGES I HAVE SAVED TO MY SECRET "HOME OFFICE" PINTEREST BOARD EVER SINCE THIS IDEA WAS BORN), BUT I REALISED SHE WAS RIGHT BECAUSE WHAT WAS LACKING IN MY oNGOING BRAINSTORM SESSION BY MY LONESOME WAS A WORK ENVIRONMENT. A PLACE TO SIT AND WORK. A PLACE TO START AND FINISH WORK. A PLACE WHERE I COULD SURROUND MYSELF WITH MY NOTES, ARTICLES AND INSPIRATION. BUILD IDEAS INSTEAD OF HAVING TO PUT EVERYTHING AWAY QUICKLY BEFORE DINNER OR COMPANY AND START ALL OVER AGAIN THE NEXT DAY.
THE TRUTH IS, IT HAS TURNED OUT EVEN SO MUCH BETTER THAN I THOUGHT IT WOULD. YES, TO BEGIN WITH, IT LOOKS STUNNING. WE FOUND A NOOK UPSTAIRS (PREVIOUSLY USED FOR "STORAGE") WHERE I COULD JUST FIT A 90CM WIDE DESK. AND SECONDLY, IT HAS ENABLED ME TO RELAX AGAIN. WHICH IN MY CASE HAS PROVEN ESSENTIAL TO BE CREATIVE AND PRODUCTIVE. IT TOOK SOME TIME OF COURSE TO "TRAIN" MYSELF. AND BEING A CREATIVE, I FIND THE THOUGHT PROCESS ACTUALLY NEVER REALLY STOPS. BUT THERE IS A PLACE WHERE THESE THOUGHTS CAN NOW COME TOGETHER AND DEVELOP. AND MY HOME HAS GONE BACK TO BEING A PLACE WHERE I CAN RELAX, FEEL SAFE AND COMFORTABLE. IN THE END, IT'S JUST A TABLE, A CHAIR AND A COMPUTER, THE COMPUTER LENT TO ME BY THE SAME DEAR GIRLFRIEND (SHE IS AN ABSOLUTE GEM!) BUT IT IS A SPACE JUST FOR ME. MY SPACE TO WORK AND DREAM.
12 YEARS AGO MY CAREER TOOK OFF AND IT HAS BEEN A ROLLERCOASTER EVER SINCE. LUCKY FOR ME, BOTH AT THE TIME AND LOOKING BACK NOW, MY WORK IS EXTREMELY FULFILLING. AND EVEN THOUGH I LEFT AND WANT TO MOVE FORWARD TO CONTINUE LEARNING AND GROWING, I DON'T HAVE TO RE-INVENT MY PASSION. I CAN GIVE IT A NEW SHAPE. ONE THAT IS CONSTANTLY EVOLVING. I HAVE GIVEN MYSELF THE FREEDOM TO DO THINGS AS I WANT AND THINK IS BEST. DEPENDING ENTIRELY On MY OWN VISION AND EFFORTS. EXCITING TIMES LIE AHEAD...
THERE ARE SO MANY WAYS TO WORK TODAY... INDEPENDANTLY, COLLECTIVELY. FROM YOUR EMPLOYERS OFFICE, FROM HOME OR SHARED WORK SPACES. FULL TIME, PART TIME OR 100% FLEXIBLE. I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS.
FOR INSPIRATION ON YOUR OWN HOME OFFICE, HAVE A LOOK HERE
Love, NA
