Create A Workspace That Is Not Only Practical, But Enjoyable

It comes down to knowing yourself and what works best for you.

The design and functionality of the physical spaces we occupy have been on my mind lately. I have multiple friends and family members who are currently building or renovating homes. Many of our recent conversations eventually shift towards floorplans and tile samples, and the reasons behind their design choices. The sheer amount of time and consideration that goes into each of these choices was at first amazing to me. But then, after considering how long these decisions would last, and how much time my friends and family would spend in their new homes, I realized that this made complete sense.

As lawyers, we spend a huge portion of our time working, or thinking about our work. While advances in technology have provided us with increased flexibility in where we do this work, we still spend a substantial amount of time in our offices. And yet, we rarely put much thought into the design and comfort of our workspaces, let alone give it the same consideration we do when designing our own homes.

I am fortunate that at our firm we do take this into consideration. Over time, my colleagues and I have realized that each individual member of our team has their own needs and preferences with regards to our workspaces. Accommodating those needs and preferences builds a happier team and creates better work product. This requires some thought and time.

For the individual, it comes down to knowing yourself and what works best for you for the different requirements of your day. I know that I do my best writing somewhere with lots of light, where I can settle in and get comfortable and still maintain the quiet that I need. However, for phone calls or team meetings I prefer a more formal environment. In contrast, one of my colleagues, who has more energy than perhaps anyone else that I have known, prefers the background noise of a local restaurant or coffee shop. He likes to walk while discussing trial strategy or taking phone calls. And his work is better for it.

Both of our offices reflect these individual preferences. My office features light furniture, bright lighting, and different seating areas. I even keep a blanket for when I really get into my writing. My colleague’s office has an open layout with lots of space to move around in. Connected to his computer are quality speakers to play the music that he uses as a stand in for the chatter of his out-of-office workspaces. This flexibility and individualization is visible throughout the firm. You will see certain colleagues at standing desks, or with their work spread across a large conference room table. This consideration has helped to create an environment in which we can each do our best work.

Take some inspiration from the thought and time you (or your friends and family) put into the design of your home, and bring it to your office space.


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Jillian L McNeilJillian L. McNeil was an attorney at Balestriere Fariello, a trial and investigations law firm which represents clients in all aspects of complex commercial litigation and arbitration from pre-filing investigations to trial and appeals. You can reach firm partner John Balestriere at john.g.balestriere@balestrierefariello.com.

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