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Post Your Desk or Work Area! (The Workspace Thread)

Anything related to matters of the mind

PureA

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RazorCut

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Nice monitor!

Have the exact same chair. Got it used for £180. (Think they are £1k+ new - you may know!).

Thanks. Had 2 monitors for years but I find one ultra wide is much more user friendly.

I've had the chair quite a long time and it's been great value for money as it has outlasted several other office chairs we have had during that time and still looks like new (apart from where my feet rub the paint off).

Obviously the most important aspect is the aid to posture and being supplied in 3 different sizes getting one that suits your build.
 

RazorCut

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I like to work in cafés and do so for the last 8 years, 7 days a week on a normal week. Entering a café always activates my working-mindset and makes it easier to start the grind.

That makes a lot of sense. You've honed a habit of associating a cafe with work. It's a difficult task to do in the home unless you have a dedicated office as it's such a multi-functional environment more tuned to relaxation.

-
 
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PureA

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I like to work in cafés and do so for the last 8 years, 7 days a week on a normal week. Entering a café always activates my working-mindset and makes it easier to start the grind.View attachment 22507

That makes a lot of sense. You've honed a habit of associating a cafe with work. It's a difficult task to do in the home unless you have a dedicated office as it's such a multi-functional environment more tuned to relaxation.

-

It's crazy you say this. I have an epic setup at home, but for the life of me can't get myself to sit down and 'do the work' - or if I can, it's involves A LOT of mental wrestling.

The moment I take my MBP to any old coffee shop, I am a productivity machine! The effect is well documented, as you say we attribute certain environments to 'brain modes'.
 

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It's crazy you say this. I have an epic setup at home, but for the life of me can't get myself to sit down and 'do the work' - or if I can, it's involves A LOT of mental wrestling.

The moment I take my MBP to any old coffee shop, I am a productivity machine! The effect is well documented, as you say we attribute certain environments to 'brain modes'.

Yes it is really hard to break. Your best bet would be to dismantle everything and set it up again in a different room or at the very least different position in its current room changing the layout as much as possible so it felt less familiar (even redecorate). Then ONLY use it for productive work. 2-3 weeks of that should get your brain re-trained to accept it as a work environment.
 

PureA

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Yes it is really hard to break. Your best bet would be to dismantle everything and set it up again in a different room or at the very least different position in its current room changing the layout as much as possible so it felt less familiar (even redecorate). Then ONLY use it for productive work. 2-3 weeks of that should get your brain re-trained to accept it as a work environment.

Dude this is crazy literally doing that today. I have a spare bedroom/ironing room (lol) and going to set everything up in there and only enter when I am shooting for deep work/focus.

Hopefully this will save me from having to commute out of house to do any work. Failing that I will lease an office/ find a co-working space... but I would do anything to avoid a commute...
 
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RazorCut

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Dude this is crazy literally doing that today. I have a spare bedroom/ironing room (lol) and going to set everything up in there and only enter when I am shooting for deep work/focus.

Hopefully this will save me from having to commute out of house to do any work. Failing that I will lease an office/ find a co-working space... but I would do anything to avoid a commute...

Ha! you've obviously done your homework. I actually quite like a commute as long as it is not too painful. Even a 5 minute commute can get your brain from one state to another due to demarcation which is difficult in a home environment.

Another trick is to take a short walk before settling down to work. So instead of getting up and heading straight for your home office (your brain is in home mode) you take a walk around the block first. This acts like a commute and helps get the brain into its work mode state.

It might be worth a try once you are all set up if you are at all worried about not being able to transition.
 

PureA

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Ha! you've obviously done your homework. I actually quite like a commute as long as it is not too painful. Even a 5 minute commute can get your brain from one state to another due to demarcation which is difficult in a home environment.

Another trick is to take a short walk before settling down to work. So instead of getting up and heading straight for your home office (your brain is in home mode) you take a walk around the block first. This acts like a commute and helps get the brain into its work mode state.

It might be worth a try once you are all set up if you are at all worried about not being able to transition.

Thanks for the tip, really. Makes sense.

Getting myself to start is always the hardest part. Especially after lunch/gym etc!

Will trial out the 'fake commute' walk. Love it.
 

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Thanks for the tip, really. Makes sense.

Getting myself to start is always the hardest part. Especially after lunch/gym etc!

Just had another thought that might help. As you are used to working in a cafe environment this might be useful to help acclimatise your brain:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSlOXT3AKBo&t=8732s


It might seem odd but I rather like the submarine one:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDJsXIBxpQw


Amazing someone has a channel dedicated to random noises (and 47,000 subscribers too).

-
 
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That makes a lot of sense. You've honed a habit of associating a cafe with work. It's a difficult task to do in the home unless you have a dedicated office as it's such a multi-functional environment more tuned to relaxation.

-

You got it 100% right. Sitting down at a table in my fav café with a cup of coffee acts as a so called habit instigation cue that reliably activates thoughts and behaviors related to work. Psychological studies have shown that repeated behaviors in stable contexts become more automatic, meaning that you need less intention and motivation to do these things.

Highly self-controlled people have a tendency for fast automatization, which makes the exertion of self-control itself unnecessary. They end up with days full of activities that look like they need a lot of self-control (working out, eating healthy, working a lot, getting up early etc.), but actually, they just needed self-control in the beginning to automatize (i. e. habitualize) these desired behaviors. That is why self-control as a trait and the exertion of self-control actually have a big NEGATIVE correlation (-.40).

Haha..you really triggered me there :). I'm a psychologist specialized in habit building and actually did a study on habit building this year and just released a habit building app 3 days ago. Really love talking about building good habits...
 

MarcoSto

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The moment I take my MBP to any old coffee shop, I am a productivity machine! The effect is well documented, as you say we attribute certain environments to 'brain modes'.

Yeah, you say it. Habits can only develop in stable contexts. And if your context at home triggers a lot of other habits, too (chllin out, watching netflix etc.) a lot of self-control - mental wrestling - is needed to overwrite these tendencies.
 

MarcoSto

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Another trick is to take a short walk before settling down to work. So instead of getting up and heading straight for your home office (your brain is in home mode) you take a walk around the block first. This acts like a commute and helps get the brain into its work mode state.

That's a really nice approach!
 
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RazorCut

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Haha..you really triggered me there :). I'm a psychologist specialized in habit building and actually did a study on habit building this year and just released a habit building app 3 days ago. Really love talking about building good habits...

Ha, our interests certainly align. :)

Good luck with your app. :thumbsup:
 

Real Deal Denver

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Just had another thought that might help. As you are used to working in a cafe environment this might be useful to help acclimatise your brain:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSlOXT3AKBo&t=8732s


It might seem odd but I rather like the submarine one:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDJsXIBxpQw


Amazing someone has a channel dedicated to random noises (and 47,000 subscribers too).

-

WOW - thanks for this info!

Sounds are key to me. I work with a fan on. I can work non-stop if I have ambiance noise in the background. If I take away the noise, my tension slowly ratchets up. I feel everything tightening, and then I have to take a break.

Sometimes I go to a diner and eat, and I can sit there and really think, just because of the atmosphere/sounds.

With a fan, I can go 12 hours easily - take a break, and do 4-5 more.

I'm going to love exploring the sounds through your link!
 
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RazorCut

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Well I did a lot of research and couldn't find anything better than the Herman Miller Aeron Chair for sensible money.

chair.jpg
It's not a coincidence you see them on TV in high end offices both in fiction and real life documentaries. I bought mine as I was spending 10+ hours a day sitting down at a desk. Made a huge difference.

Expensive new but you can get them at a good price on the secondhand market. They are made in 3 sizes (A,B,C) so make sure if you are in the market you get the one that fits you.

Aeron Chairs - Herman Miller
 
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I have one of these at both my offices. However, just yesterday I got the embody, which is silly expensive(got mine for free from my furniture vendor). So far I like it a lot, but I can tell it will be a thing of preference. Will see how much I like it over the next few weeks.

I'll have a update for this thread soon since I am half way through a complete chase of my home office.
Well I did a lot of research and couldn't find anything better than the Herman Miller Aeron Chair for sensible money.

View attachment 22527
It's not a coincidence you see them on TV in high end offices both in fiction and real life documentaries. I bought mine as I was spending 10+ hours a day sitting down at a desk. Made a huge difference.

Expensive new but you can get them at a good price on the secondhand market. They are made in 3 sizes (A,B,C) so make sure if you are in the market you get the one that fits you.

Aeron Chairs - Herman Miller
 

Mutant

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WOW - thanks for this info!

Sounds are key to me. I work with a fan on. I can work non-stop if I have ambiance noise in the background. If I take away the noise, my tension slowly ratchets up. I feel everything tightening, and then I have to take a break.

Sometimes I go to a diner and eat, and I can sit there and really think, just because of the atmosphere/sounds.

With a fan, I can go 12 hours easily - take a break, and do 4-5 more.

I'm going to love exploring the sounds through your link!

Other possible sound sources I'll point you to in case they work for you are:

Brain.fm: Music to improve focus, meditation & sleep. - an AI music generator that's designed to induce certain states like "focus", "relax", "sleep", etc. I use the focus setting sometimes & I'd say it sounds a bit like film music - lots of atmosphere - but without any sudden changes. The tracks last like half an hour before changing into something different enough, without being jarring.

Sleep Great with Rain Rain Sleep Sounds for iOS and Android, Noisli - Improve Focus and Boost Productivity with Background Noise and other white noise apps (there are loads, just search your app store!) - want to listen to the sound of a little Mississippi at Night, mixed with some City Rain? (My jam.) Or want those, but with the sound of a Shih Tzu Snoring on top? (Not my jam, but knock yourself out). Then Rain Rain might be for you! You can mix sounds & levels as you wish - same with Noisli - I see they have a fan option (not checked Rain Rain) & is also available in the chrome webstore, so I guess you could play it from your laptop?


Funnily enough, I actually prefer silence most of the time (as much as it ever is silent in London), but these are good to have in my arsenal for when I don't. Was introduced to the whole white noise thing by a friend who suffers from tinnitus. Very useful.
 

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My chair sucks. Hurts my legs.

What should I get?

A stand up desk. One of the best purchases I have ever made. I went from fully sitting, to sitting half the time, to sitting only every couple of days, to never sitting. I have not had my desk in "sit mode" for over a year now.

It may sound cheesy, and look even more cheesy, but if you really want a chair take a look at gaming chairs. I used to use a $1500 chair when I worked in a corporate environment and loved it. Then when I needed a chair for my office I didn't want to spend that cash so looked at gaming chairs. I settled on some $450 one that I like far better than my fancy corporate chair. Not even making that up, I researched a ton of chairs before I made the purchase and would never look back
 
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Hijena1

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Other possible sound sources I'll point you to in case they work for you are:

Brain.fm: Music to improve focus, meditation & sleep. - an AI music generator that's designed to induce certain states like "focus", "relax", "sleep", etc. I use the focus setting sometimes & I'd say it sounds a bit like film music - lots of atmosphere - but without any sudden changes. The tracks last like half an hour before changing into something different enough, without being jarring.

Sleep Great with Rain Rain Sleep Sounds for iOS and Android, Noisli - Improve Focus and Boost Productivity with Background Noise and other white noise apps (there are loads, just search your app store!) - want to listen to the sound of a little Mississippi at Night, mixed with some City Rain? (My jam.) Or want those, but with the sound of a Shih Tzu Snoring on top? (Not my jam, but knock yourself out). Then Rain Rain might be for you! You can mix sounds & levels as you wish - same with Noisli - I see they have a fan option (not checked Rain Rain) & is also available in the chrome webstore, so I guess you could play it from your laptop?


Funnily enough, I actually prefer silence most of the time (as much as it ever is silent in London), but these are good to have in my arsenal for when I don't. Was introduced to the whole white noise thing by a friend who suffers from tinnitus. Very useful.

Whole life silence was my best friend but not anymore. 2 years ago, I also discovered what tinnitus is (not fun at all). Now, I can't learn without some musical sounds. I hope you will find this 2 links helpful.

View: https://youtu.be/xQ6xgDI7Whc


View: https://youtu.be/1dnWev0CvX4


I hope you are doing well.
 

garyfritz

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Well I did a lot of research and couldn't find anything better than the Herman Miller Aeron Chair for sensible money.
I bought one of those almost 20 years ago. I can't imagine the untold thousands of hours I've parked my butt in that thing. And it's still like new. It's not perfect, but it's a damn good chair.

Sometimes I consider getting a Purple seat cushion for it, but I haven't gotten around to trying it.

I also have a power-lift standing desk. Unfortunately I find I can't stand for more than 30-40 mins or so. My hips, feet, etc just can't take it. I can hike 10 miles up in the mountains, but standing still puts a lot more stress on the joints. I try to kind of shuffle/march in place but that doesn't work great.
 

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dayinlife.png



View attachment 21792
band-aid covering my webcam


appropriate :)


lol.. j/k

I like to work in cafés and do so for the last 8 years, 7 days a week on a normal week. Entering a café always activates my working-mindset and makes it easier to start the grind.View attachment 22507


YES! I’m the same way.
 
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