Work Environments

During my visit to the States, I attempted to complete a little bit of blog work. 

It was an admirable goal, but I found it incredibly difficult to finish even small tasks. 

One reason I didn’t get much done is simply due to the nature of visiting family and friends: lots of planned outings and group dinners, and simply no time to actually do the work. 

But there was also the negative impact of being in a different place. 

At home, my work environment is anchored by a huge monitor. I settle in at my desk for hours-long stretches while soft house music plays in the background. The environment at my dad’s house isn’t bad, it’s just not what I’m used to. 

I also don’t have a track record of getting a lot done there. No muscle memory in that space. 

Work environments matter a lot more than we acknowledge. And while the popular advice might be to optimize every place you ever are, maybe it’s okay to have places that are free from the reach and responsibility of productivity.