Are you going to build a woodworking studio in your living room? Is it feasible in your unfinished basement? Does your garage have enough space? How about an art studio; is that something that can be sustained in your home without causing a mess?
From woodworking to the creation of art, to writing, to musical composition and plain old business, having personal space available that is dedicated to a specific purpose can be integral for reasons of production. The fact is, you’re going to be more productive if you’ve got space that’s tied to production. Just consider Pavlov’s dogs.
Pavlov was a Russian scientist who trained canines in a subconscious way. He would feed them a treat and ring a bell at the same time, until the dogs began to associate receiving a treat with the ringing of a bell. Soon they would drool whenever he rang the bell whether or not he gave them a treat. Subconsciously, they expected that treat.
If you have a space you’ve constructed specifically for the purpose of working, creating, or just plain being peaceful, by using that space for its intended purpose you train your own subconscious much like Pavlov trained his canines. Just by entering such a space, you have the propensity to become more productive in a quantifiable way.
It’s not just Pavlovian conditioning that recommends such an approach; modern science has found that having and using space specifically designed for a certain purpose has a positive psychological effect which ultimately yields increased production. Certainly, part of this effect has to do with the appearance of your surroundings, but there is definitely a component tied to what you do there.
Consider a horror movie. Horror, like humor, relies on juxtaposition to yield emotional impact. Stephen King’s It is effective because it turns something we love—clowns—into something we fear; Pennywise the clown. King’s main method of facilitating horror seems to be twisting sacred, or safe, areas of life. He did the same thing with the bathroom in Dreamcatcher. Hitchcock made showers frightening in Psycho.
Likewise, humor relies on juxtaposition: switching an expectation for a zany conclusion that couldn’t have been expected. Like horror and humor, your enjoyment of a space will have a lot to do with your activities in that space. You can make a simple closet into an area of community of theological importance like in the film War Room, or you could use it to store junk.
Modern Solutions Make Creating Personal Space Easier Than Ever
Sometimes space in a home is at a premium, but you don’t need much to build your own man-cave, art studio, woodworking space, or peaceful quiet-time area. A storage crate eight feet wide and twenty feet long could be made into a perfect man-cave/studio/peace area. Or, you could build something similar to such a crate on your own relatively inexpensively. Consider the do-it-yourself garage kit.
According to Fidelity Steel, “Pre-engineered steel buildings are an ideal economical and easy-to-install solution if you’re looking to build a shed or workshop for outdoor storage needs.” If you’re smart about interior decoration, such a space can be turned from utilitarian to invitational. Paint the walls, or put some wallpaper up.
These spaces can include windows, and you can hang posters/pictures/paintings as well. Use fiberglass, caulk, and duct-tape for insulation. Install solar panels for renewable, grid-free energy. Put in some mood lighting and comfortable furniture/working equipment. Viola, you’ve got space you need that can immediately yield productivity.
Use Your Imagination
If you can facilitate the perfect working space, you’ll give yourself a substantial psychological advantage that yields increased peace and productivity over time. All that’s really necessary is the will to follow through.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
