I'm Marie Kondo-ing the hell out of my office space.
I’m cleaning out my office space. I want to clear the clutter, clean it up, and be excited to work in it. But how to use it? Where to place things? How much do I really need to keep, and what can I get rid of? This isn’t really a conversation about clutter.
It’s about career and money.
These are always interesting subjects when we speak about them abstractly, but they become very personal, and potentially even painful, when we’re speaking about ourselves; when we’re facing the choices we’ve made in the past and how to change in the future.
Have you ever thought about what the space you work in looks like? How it functions? What it feels like? If the energy is bad? The ancient art of Feng Shui will tell you all sorts of things about which direction your desk should face, what material it should be made out of, even where to place things on your desk for maximum chi (which translates to energy, and potentially success). But I like the way my desk faces, and what it’s made out of. (Well, sort of. Okay, it’s good enough for now, but it’s on a future upgrades list.) I like the way the furniture is arranged, my back isn’t toward any doors or windows, and I feel comfortable in my room, sitting at my desk. What I do NOT feel comfortable with is the “stuff” around, on, and even under my desk. So this is what I’ve set out to clear and fix.
So how is this a conversation about career and money again?
How we do anything is how we do everything. Am I going to tackle revving up my coaching and consulting business surrounded by a mess? No. I’m going to clean out, focus, and prioritize what’s important. I’m going to give myself the maximum chance at succeeding because I feel great, every day, about the space I’m creating from. I’ll ask myself 3 main points to focus on as I go through this:
· Do I need this? regarding any and all clutter,
· Or the flip side, *does it bring me joy?,
· And - How well will this function for me? regarding layout, space, and overall feel.
As I’m starting to tackle this project, I feel a bit overwhelmed. I have too much stuff that doesn’t fit the vision of what I want my business to be. I’ve held on to things from the past that are painful or even just outdated reminders of who I used to be (NEVER a good way to feel!). I’ve covered up the self-help books that helped me shift my life because in my corporate gig I wasn’t using them and they were a reminder of the dreams I was not following. Now, I want to liberate them so I can see the tools I use to help myself and others. Instead of being a reminder of dreams-on-hold, they are the beacon of the future. They’re like old friends cheering me on. I want my space clear for new business to come in, and for room to grow. I want to be surrounded by things that inspire and motivate me, in a space that welcomes me every day.
Ultimately, it’s not about what anyone else would think -- this is my space, my energy, and I’m the one who has to feel good creating from here. I’m taking my career in a new direction, and I want my space to support my new outlook, and the money that will hopefully follow. My home office, which I will step into every morning and make decisions about my business, life, and finances, will be a place that supports the growth of my career and bank account. I have big dreams for my business, and I want to work in a space that matches my ambition.
Wish me luck!
*(A big thank you to Marie Kondo and her book the “The Joy of Tidying Up” as well as her new Netflix series. I may be a tad bit obsessed.)
My challenge for you: Take a look at your work space and evaluate it.
How do you feel about the space you work in? What are some of your favorite and least favorite things about it? How do those feelings translate into how you feel about money and success? You can apply this to any work space, whether it’s your home, corporate office, or retail shop. When I worked in retail and it was slow, I would clean out and rearrange things at the register so they functioned and looked better. Why not? It’s your space. What can you do to ignite some joy into your work space, whether it’s a home office, corporate cubicle, or retail register?
I’ll share my results later, and I’d love to hear about yours!
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