Dec
18
2007
Where is your “white space” for getting real work done?
Posted in the Category of In the News
Loved this article in the New York Times: You Won't Find Me In My Office, I'm Working. It's about those of us who choose anywhere except our desk or office to get "real" work done. Real work meaning it involves thinking, writing or being creative.
Where is your white space? Not very original but mine is often the Starbucks across the street. Sometimes it's sitting in my car. And stuff (ideas / headlines / titles) always come to me when I'm taking a power walk. Not much happens in the shower. How 'bout you?
P.S. Speaking of thinking and writing... I'm way behind on stuff I want to blog about. Meant to post this last week. A bunch of unfinished posts are lined up on the back of this blog.
Some end-of-year Top Ten and Best Of lists to come, as well as some holiday cheer. Stay tuned.
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Comments
russ stalters said on December 18, 2007 at 10:54 PM
Hi Debbie,
Glad I came across your post. I agree completely. I like to change up the environment to stimulate thinking and creativity.
For years I have been telling my employees that “work is a verb”.
With my new position I am trying to start blogging again but have been swamped taking on a global role with BP. Maybe I need to go to Starbucks more 
Mike Sigers said on December 19, 2007 at 12:07 AM
Most of my great work and ideas come driving down the highway and are recorded in a digital recorder or on a stenopad I keep near for just that purpose.
Personally, I can’t work in a Starbucks...or the shower 
Jim Phelps said on December 19, 2007 at 12:10 AM
Hi Debbie,
Often my white space moments come while driving. Creates some interesting moments juggling the Starbucks with pen and pad.
Debbie Weil said on December 19, 2007 at 12:50 AM
Thanks Mike and Jim. I should have mentioned driving. I keep a small notebook (very retro I know) and scribble things down at stoplights. Only works for city driving.
Erno Hannink said on December 19, 2007 at 03:11 AM
Debbie the shower really does it for me. Clear thinking, new ideas, overthinking. I often wonder why I don’t spend more time in the shower
My office is my home and my home my office so that white space has a thin line. Picking up the kids from school is often a good break in a stressful sequence.
Driving in the car and train also helps me to set things straight in my head. Please note that we have good public transportation in Holland.
Tim Wilson said on December 20, 2007 at 08:43 AM
When I lived in Austin, I escaped to a local coffee shop called Mozart’s once every 3-4 months. It was on Town Lake, and even the indoor seating offered peripheral awareness of the water. And the wireless was free.
More often than not, though, my white space is a time rather than a place. It’s first thing in the morning, when I’m in my home office before my co-workers are up and pinging me, or it’s after the kids go to bed, when I’m reflecting on the day and unwinding through my keyboard.
Towanda Long said on December 22, 2007 at 09:06 PM
Hi Debbie,
Fresh air does it for me. Jogging outdoors,relaxing on my sun porch, or even driving with the windows down all make the list.
Scott Trunkett said on January 8, 2008 at 08:59 AM
Debbie (and this goes for Mike and Jim, too):
I have recently found it challenging myself to find the ‘whitespace’. I just began learning blogging, and have spent an eternity getting my own sales techniques blog up http://www.SalesRaceHorses.com/blog/ so I haven’t gotten any real work done!
What really helps is ‘writing’ ‘content’ during my long drives on my voice recorder and downloading it to Dragon Naturally Speaking, which converts my voice directly to text!
It sure beats transcribing my own voice, and it really works extremely well!
Cheers!
Scott
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MyHome MyOffice said on December 28, 2008 at 04:20 AM
Hi Debbie,
Glad I came across your post. I agree completely. I am a BPO/Outsourcing Service Provider.
After my daily devotions, in the morning and evening, when I reflect on the day, ideas come into me effortlessly. So I am grateful for GOD for giving me great ideas without spending a single cent.
