Head Space

At work, we're moving offices on Monday. We're not moving buildings, just moving across the courtyard into another, larger, open plan space which we'll share with several other teams.

It's going to be stressful, and frenetic, and hard work, since I work for a charity and we do our own office moves. There will be frayed tempers, and it'll be hard to make sure everyone gets what they need out of their workspace, and what they want out of the available furniture etc. I'm one of those who hates confrontations, and although I'm fussy about my workspace, I rarely defend my preferences at work. Morale is low, and some who are moving offices don't want to.

I've also found it surprisingly emotional and difficult to organise my desk (aka The Twilight Zone) and my files (aka The Piles). I've worked at this desk for a month shy of five years now, and I've dug myself in like a hermit crab in a too-tight shell. And there are... reminders. Old foodstuffs, long past their best before. Old postcards, old notes. Photos of Piggy, who died September last year, and Merlin who died March last year. And of Geri, gone but never forgotten. I started out hating it, started to find it ennervating, and now I'm enjoying clearing the slate.

I found things in my in tray and filing tray dating from two years earlier (yes, that's how stupidly busy we are - if it's not urgent, there's no time to do it), and 95% of the contents of those trays were no longer relevant and could be recycled. I threw away papers from projects I don't work with anymore, partnerships that don't exist anymore, and reports that I know aren't relevant anymore. Then I realised I was throwing away redundant paperwork from projects that hadn't come off three years ago.... and in doing so was disposing of a load of guilt I was still carrying.

Of course, it's awful that I still felt bad about things that were not only three years old, but also beyond my control, but it did feel marvellous to ceremonially dispose of not just the papers, but the guilt, too. In clearing my space, I was clearing my head, too. I'm wondering if I ought to employ this approach in my home office and writing space... but it's a bit drastic!

So moving on Monday will be fraught, but it will be positive, too. A new start.

Wish us luck.