How Your Space Impacts Your Life: An Interview with Ang Stocke
I suppose I’ve always been particular about the physical space surrounding me, but until recently, I haven’t really noticed, or paid attention to the actual effect it has on me and how I go about my days.
We recently moved into a house we are renting from our friends, and I had the opportunity to take one room, paint it a light grey, and make it into any type of office space that I wanted. I positioned my little white desk against the window (which will be replaced with a new desk currently being built by my hubby), got a little lamp and candle, placed my emerald paperweight and rosary in remembrance of Sylvia, put plants all around, got a white ladder shelf for the corner and filled it with a few things that bring me joy, and my favorite part - I got all of the prints we found while we were in Australia and New Zealand framed and hung them on the wall.
Oh, my other favorite part - I have this thing hanging on my window called a rainbow maker, that my friends had purchased for me while I was in the hospital. On the really sunny mornings, the crystal spins around and projects all of these tiny rainbows that spin on the walls throughout the room. That rainbow maker brings me SO MUCH JOY, every time it spins. It brings me to the present, it reminds me of my little girl in heaven, and instantly puts a smile on my face.
My office happy place.
Someone who is ALL about physical space, and the impact it has on the outcome of our lives is my good friend / mentor / coach Ang Stocke. So, I called her up to ask her a few things about physical space.
K: When did you first start to notice that your physical space made an impact on your life?
A: Probably when I was in 6th grade. I remember I would change my room around a lot, and I would make sure I had positive words and other things up on my walls. I would make sure that my bedspread and my pillows looked good together and that the things in my room matched and felt good, and things were put away. I always felt so much better if there wasn't any clutter. That's the first time I remember thinking “it feels so good when my room looks good.”
When you enter a store like Pottery Barn or West Elm, what you see at that very first table creates a pair of glasses for you to wear as you shop throughout the store. If you see a big sparkly amazing Christmas tree, even if the rugs in the back haven’t been holi-dazzled, you have on the special Christmas shopping glasses because they said, “hey, come on! It’s Christmas!” So when you see that, it makes you feel. “I feel like Christmas. I feel like cookies and my Mom and gifts.” So, they help you go shopping with a new set of glasses. Now you’ll go shopping with those good feelings you have associated with Christmas.
We need to do the same thing to our office. We need to be intentional about what glasses we put on. Should it be a big pile of stuff? Or, should it be our 10 best branding words and your favorite color pink?
When you go into your bedroom or office or yoga studio, make the first images in that space something that makes you feel good, empowered and forward-moving.
K: Describe what your current work space looks like.
A: I've been working really hard to make it an amazing space to do the work I have to do currently.
I have this routine when I go into the space that’s written down. It includes:
Grab your cleaner, wipe it down
Turn on all of the lights
Light 1 or 2 candles
Tell Alexa to turn on Lauren Daigle
My current workspace is on the lower level. I have a very nice white corner desk from Pottery Barn. It’s very hefty, hearty, beautiful and bright. It has a large Apple computer, I love a big monitor. It has lots of great storage. There is a candle. There is a professional microphone so if I do audio work I can quickly access the best way to record.
When I sit at my desk, I look out at a beautiful stone fireplace that my brother built with a reclaimed wooden mantle that we handpicked from up North. The space is the colors that I love. It feels good.
K: You mentioned having different working spaces within your home, do you have any tips on how to create these?
A:
Figure out all of the different types of spaces you need. For example, during the stay at home order, I needed a space that was comfortable, professional, quickly accessed, a place where I could have my computer look down at me, and somewhere I could shut the door for privacy.
Figure out what the purpose is for each workstation. The spaces you have should serve you. They should be intentional and purposeful for what you need to get done.
Pay attention to the light. How do you want the light to feel? What kind of light do you need to feel good?
Add some form of movement (e.g. a flickering candle).
Add some type of sound that’s helpful. It could be, “Alexa, play waves.” Make it easy to turn on so you don’t get distracted doing other things like going on Facebook.
K: If you had three words to describe your ideal working space, what would they be?
A: Quiet, bright with natural filtered light, expansive (give me the big big table!)
K: If you’re not at home, where is your favorite place to go and work? What about that space makes it feel productive?
A: Currently it’s Dunn Bros Coffee at a table outside. Right now my clients want to meet in person, and the outdoor tables underneath the cherry tree feel connected, bright, and like anything is possible. It’s airy there, and you’re getting a breeze off the lake. It’s just kind of a magical little spot. That particular space during the past two weeks has been home to the best coaching sessions. I leave that place and I’m literally exhausted, and so are my clients.
K: If you could go on a “work vacation” e.g. go somewhere for 3-5 days and get a bunch of work done, what would an ideal space look like to you?
A: Big, high ceilings and big tables. I need to write on big pieces of paper (flip charts) and markers. A lake or an ocean within 20 ft. Door open, breeze coming off the ocean or lake. It has to be a big lake, I don’t want to see any other land, just sea. I must have a .07mm Pentel mechanical pencil.
K: If you’re feeling tired or uninspired by a space, what would you do to change it?
A:
I would take three big baskets and take everything off the surfaces and out of the drawers.
Take out all of the furniture and completely empty the space.
Clean all of the furniture and scrub the floors, maybe on my hands and knees.
Then I would ask, “how is the current configuration serving me and my current needs?” “How does it need to change to serve my current needs?”
Then I would change it around as needed, and figure out what furniture needs to be added or taken away.
I would look at the walls and ask, “are they inspiring? Do they lift me up?”
I would evaluate the lighting. “What kind of light comes in when I’m working here? Do I need a lamp? Do I need light therapy?”
Of all of the things I had cleared off the surfaces and out of the drawers, I would put back only what I need.
Lastly, I would sit in the space for a minute and say, “where is the depleting energy in the room coming from? What in here feels heavy?” And I would address it.
K: Do you have any thoughts about the impact of color in a space?
A: Oh gosh, don’t even get me started. I sure do! I think color is so important. Colors make you feel a certain way. I prefer white, light and bright for my space. It needs to feel clean and expansive. It helps me think more clearly and bigger.
You have to figure out how you want to feel while you’re working, and then put those colors in front of you. Whether you paint the wall that color, have a blanket or a picture. Maybe you like a combination of colors.
A good way to determine how colors make your feel is by going to the art store and standing in front of pieces so you can figure out what colors make you feel good, or the way you want to feel at work.
K: Do you have any last thoughts about physical space?
A: Your physical space dictates your behavior while you’re in that space. Being intentional about how your space serves you and propels you forward is integral to having an efficient life and business.
So there you have it. Maybe you’ve been feeling stuck lately, at home or while you’re working. Take a look around you. How is your space serving you?
