Written by Dick CarlsonAfter really enjoying the calm warm cocoon of my home office for months now, I’m sitting in a coffee shop working on the laptop for the second time this week. (It’s a Tulley’s — not really because I don’t prefer Starbuck’s, but Tulley’s gives me free wireless.)
It’s chaotic, lots of noise, people going in and out. I’m perched on a high table, my wireless mouse is hard to use, and this tiny keyboard is really hard to type on. Yet I’m really enjoying it, and when my battery runs out (my self-imposed limit) I’m not looking forward to heading home to keep working. I do miss the pugs, and my loud music, but the interaction and noise is kind of soothing.
What does your office look like? For years, we told learners that they needed a study area that was neat and tidy. Sharpened pencils (#2, of course) and lots of erasers. Good lighting. The proper height desk. No distractions.
What happened? Why is it now much more common to work in noisy cubes, with people dropping in (I just can’t call them “drive-bys”) at any moment, noise in the air, and a huge mess around us. I’ve always got 10 windows open, paper spread around, a couple of abandoned drinks and lots of toys from shows I attend. My favorite, lately, is a squeeze-ball model of the human brain.
Are you comfortable with chaos in learning? Is it ok with you when people go from back to front, or from the middle out? Can your learners make their own choices without feeling like they’re breaking the rules?
Don’t worry about me. I’ll finish my cookie and head home to peace and quiet. And probably not produce anything else all day.
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