A Place to Work

The rise of the Sovereign Professional and the increased popularity of flexible working free many from the vast and barren open-plan prairies.  However, once untethered from the corporate work-place, erstwhile prairie-dogs need to address the challenge of where to work now.

The joy of independent work is being able to pitch your laptop anywhere and deliver some value: over an early morning cappuccino in Costa, a stolen fifteen minutes on the train or an inspired moment in a sun-dappled forest.  However, a free-lance still needs his (or her) castle – somewhere to spread thoughts and papers and, most importantly, to work undisturbed.

 Cultural Offering’s checklist for an effective home study is a great place to start.

I can tick most of the boxes…

• Writing tools – check.  My trusty PC and a fetish for Waterman Gentleman fountain pens.
• Ready access to great books – check.  Usually, my “must read” shelf outweighs – in guilt, if not in pounds – the rest.
• Music – check.  I haven’t mastered Matthew Stibbe’s detachment from the physical so I nestle amid the tangible.
• No television – check.
• Domesticated animal – check.

• Comfortable seating – check. 
• Varied lighting – check, but realising there is a price to pay for running two PCs, screens, printer, sound equipment and halogen spotlights in a confined space .
• Busts of the dead – well, I have Jerry; not exactly a bust, but definitely Dead.
• Table space – check, but need more, and more shelf space and more wall-space and more space in general.  The existing bookcase will shortly acquire glass doors to double as a project wall.
• Art – check.

A place to think, create, work: essential.