1 00:00:05,400 --> 00:00:09,640 Speaker 1: Good morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the New Corner Office, 2 00:00:10,080 --> 00:00:13,360 Speaker 1: the podcast where we discuss strategies for thriving in the 3 00:00:13,360 --> 00:00:17,280 Speaker 1: new world of work, one where location and ours are 4 00:00:17,320 --> 00:00:21,520 Speaker 1: more flexible than in the past. Today's tip is to 5 00:00:21,560 --> 00:00:24,560 Speaker 1: work near a window and to pay attention to what 6 00:00:24,680 --> 00:00:28,120 Speaker 1: you see through that window. Working from home, in many 7 00:00:28,160 --> 00:00:30,880 Speaker 1: cases allows you to curate your view in a way 8 00:00:30,880 --> 00:00:35,200 Speaker 1: that you can't in a traditional office. Seizing this opportunity 9 00:00:35,520 --> 00:00:39,919 Speaker 1: can have a big impact on your happiness and productivity. So, 10 00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:42,360 Speaker 1: as I'm recording this from the home office that doubles 11 00:00:42,440 --> 00:00:46,560 Speaker 1: is my recording studio, I have my curtains closed. That's 12 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:50,440 Speaker 1: better for acoustics, but whenever possible, I love to keep 13 00:00:50,440 --> 00:00:54,120 Speaker 1: the curtains open and look into my backyard. One of 14 00:00:54,160 --> 00:00:56,600 Speaker 1: the reasons we bought this house several years ago was 15 00:00:56,640 --> 00:01:00,120 Speaker 1: for the landscaping. As I'm recording this in early spring, 16 00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:04,000 Speaker 1: I can enjoy the forsythia and the plum trees as 17 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:07,800 Speaker 1: they're about to break into their pinkish purplish flowers. For 18 00:01:07,840 --> 00:01:10,680 Speaker 1: a few weeks. In fall, the Japanese maple that's right 19 00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:14,720 Speaker 1: outside my window turns bright scarlet. This wonderful bit of 20 00:01:14,720 --> 00:01:18,960 Speaker 1: fall color does wonders for my mood. Indeed, when my 21 00:01:19,040 --> 00:01:22,400 Speaker 1: husband and I recently entertained the idea of moving, one 22 00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:25,240 Speaker 1: of the questions I kept asking myself was whether my 23 00:01:25,280 --> 00:01:29,360 Speaker 1: home office view would be nearly as nice. Of course, 24 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:31,560 Speaker 1: we've done a few things to improve the view too. 25 00:01:32,319 --> 00:01:34,960 Speaker 1: A few years ago we planted several skip laurels down 26 00:01:34,959 --> 00:01:37,480 Speaker 1: by the fence, so I no longer see the neighbor's 27 00:01:37,480 --> 00:01:40,440 Speaker 1: garage quite so well, and we try to get the 28 00:01:40,480 --> 00:01:43,800 Speaker 1: kids picking up their toys from the yard too. In 29 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:46,400 Speaker 1: any case, not every house will have previous owners who 30 00:01:46,400 --> 00:01:49,480 Speaker 1: are serious about their landscaping, but there's still plenty you 31 00:01:49,520 --> 00:01:51,560 Speaker 1: can do to curate your view when you're not in 32 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:56,040 Speaker 1: a cubicle. First, make sure you are working near a window. 33 00:01:56,920 --> 00:01:59,840 Speaker 1: Studies of offices have found that natural light improves work 34 00:01:59,920 --> 00:02:04,400 Speaker 1: or satisfaction and productivity. One possible mechanism is that exposure 35 00:02:04,440 --> 00:02:08,400 Speaker 1: to natural light helps regulate sleep cycles. People who sleep 36 00:02:08,440 --> 00:02:13,639 Speaker 1: better are more productive. That's a pretty straightforward connection. If 37 00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:16,519 Speaker 1: you just started working from home because of social distancing 38 00:02:16,520 --> 00:02:19,639 Speaker 1: measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus, you might 39 00:02:19,680 --> 00:02:24,040 Speaker 1: have just grabbed the first spot available. But nothing seems 40 00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:27,080 Speaker 1: to be changing in the near term, so take some 41 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:29,640 Speaker 1: time today to survey your options and see what you 42 00:02:29,680 --> 00:02:32,800 Speaker 1: can do. Can you move a table near a window 43 00:02:33,639 --> 00:02:35,680 Speaker 1: If you've been working in a closet to stay away 44 00:02:35,680 --> 00:02:38,720 Speaker 1: from everyone, maybe it's time to move some rooms around. 45 00:02:39,480 --> 00:02:42,560 Speaker 1: A child's room could be repurposed during the day as 46 00:02:42,600 --> 00:02:45,639 Speaker 1: your office, or maybe you can use some space near 47 00:02:45,680 --> 00:02:49,560 Speaker 1: the door to an apartment balcony. Then take a critical 48 00:02:49,600 --> 00:02:53,000 Speaker 1: look at the view. Can you clean up any outdoor clutter. 49 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:56,079 Speaker 1: Use the time you now have at home on weekends 50 00:02:56,080 --> 00:02:59,480 Speaker 1: to really spruce things up. Clear away the old toys 51 00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:01,880 Speaker 1: or house, old junk you've chucked in your yard or 52 00:03:01,919 --> 00:03:06,400 Speaker 1: on your apartment balcony, weed or trim anything that's too overgrown. 53 00:03:07,200 --> 00:03:09,720 Speaker 1: If you can see a wall or a shed, scrub 54 00:03:09,760 --> 00:03:13,480 Speaker 1: it down. Many plant stores are closed right now, but 55 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:16,440 Speaker 1: you might be able to order seedlings online or pick 56 00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:18,919 Speaker 1: up something that is still open grocery store to plant 57 00:03:19,120 --> 00:03:22,440 Speaker 1: and start enjoying soon. You could even make some sort 58 00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:26,000 Speaker 1: of outdoor sculpture if you wanted to be ambitious, give 59 00:03:26,040 --> 00:03:29,800 Speaker 1: your kids this job as part of homeschooling. And of 60 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:32,680 Speaker 1: course you can frame your view well. Maybe you hang 61 00:03:32,760 --> 00:03:36,640 Speaker 1: some new curtains ordered online or sewn with your new 62 00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:40,120 Speaker 1: found down time. Move some potted plants near your window 63 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:43,120 Speaker 1: and clear up any nearby clutter so you can maximize 64 00:03:43,240 --> 00:03:46,800 Speaker 1: the available light. It's easy to just let things stand 65 00:03:46,880 --> 00:03:50,600 Speaker 1: where they are. This worldwide pandemic is causing people to 66 00:03:50,680 --> 00:03:54,000 Speaker 1: rethink many things. And yes, your furniture and house plants 67 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:57,200 Speaker 1: and backyard clutter are quite trivial in the grand scheme 68 00:03:57,240 --> 00:03:59,600 Speaker 1: of things. But there is so much in life right 69 00:03:59,640 --> 00:04:03,480 Speaker 1: now that we can't control. The view of your new 70 00:04:03,520 --> 00:04:06,640 Speaker 1: home office window is something you can do something about, 71 00:04:07,560 --> 00:04:09,640 Speaker 1: So to day, think about what tweaks you can make 72 00:04:09,840 --> 00:04:13,320 Speaker 1: to curate your view. Looking up from your computer every 73 00:04:13,360 --> 00:04:16,360 Speaker 1: so often is healthy. And if every time you look 74 00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:20,799 Speaker 1: out your window you smile a little, that's something worth celebrating. 75 00:04:21,880 --> 00:04:25,919 Speaker 1: In the meantime, this is Laura, Thanks for listening, and 76 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:33,039 Speaker 1: here's to succeeding in the New Corner Office. The New 77 00:04:33,080 --> 00:04:36,160 Speaker 1: Corner Office is a production of I Heart Radio. For 78 00:04:36,279 --> 00:04:40,120 Speaker 1: more podcasts, visit the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 79 00:04:40,240 --> 00:04:41,840 Speaker 1: or wherever you get your favorite shows.