How To Work From Your Couch And Still Be Super Productive

And they dare to call me mad…

What if I told you that a super-tweaked, streamlined perfect home office or workspace wasn't necessarily the only way to work from home and still be productive?

You'd think I was some kind of sociopath. That I'm spitting in the face of that recent Tim Denning article about building a great office space at home.

I admit this piece is somewhat a response to that piece. Somewhat.

I actually like Tim Denning's office setup. I'd love to have one just like it or similar.

But the sad fact is that's not where my life is right now.

I live in a small house with surprisingly little storage space. I have a recently-turned-four-year-old and a wife who is working from home now. To say that I've had to make some adjustments from the more optimized setup I rocked a few years ago is an understatement.

My office/studio space suffered severe flood damage and has not yet fully recovered to the point where one can comfortably work. My son now has his own room, so there's one less room for me to claim as a new office. The kitchen table I took over once is now Family Central. I now have to compete for space with breakfast dishes, laundry, lunch dishes, fingerpaints, dinner dishes, and more laundry.

The last best piece of prime working real estate in the house — a raised counter in the kitchen dividing the cooking area from the dining area — has been taken over by my wife. She works from home (thanks to Covid) in a more traditional job sense than my more flexible freelance way of doing things. She has daily meetings via Zoom and, frankly, it's the spot with the best consistent lighting and civilized looking background.

So I've been resettling from spot to spot in the house in an attempt to find my best new workspace.

Turns out… it's on the couch.

Working from the couch

Different people will have different needs, expectations, and results. I get that. Don't take this essay as a declaration that if you aren't working from your couch, you're not getting your best work done.

Results will vary.

That said, since I've begun working from my couch, my productivity may have actually gone up.

Weird, right?

Here's how I make it work.

Turn the TV off

That's just too much distraction. I like a little background noise, but the accompanying video and the nature of most programming simply make any attempt to work while the TV is on fruitless.

Some light music

As I mentioned, I like a bit of background noise. With that in mind, I have Alexa call up one of my playlists at a modest-to-low volume. I've even set up some playlists specifically for work sessions that feature light jazz, some blues, and a little folk. All pretty low-intensity stuff. I tried podcasts for a bit but couldn't pay attention to those and work simultaneously. Music, yes. People talking, not so much.

Get up and move around

Couches are not the most ergonomic seating. They're meant for lounging, not working. I find that if I get up for a few minutes every hour or so, it keeps me from stiffening up too much. It's also a chance to refresh a little, get some are and blood circulation, and see if there's some coffee left in the pot.

Stick to your schedule

Whether you use a to-do list, daily planner, or another system for scheduling your tasks for the day, stick to it. My laptop is on my lap, but my planner and task notebook are spread out beside me. I check off my completed tasks as appropriate. Their presence serves as a reminder that this is my "office" now.

Have what you need within reach

I mentioned having my planner on the couch next to me. On the other side is the end table with coffee, phone, charger, and a portfolio with one of those little pen loops so I can keep necessary work paperwork nearby and organized. At the end of the day, they all fit in the end table's drawer, and the laptop slips neatly onto the shelf below. It's quite convenient.

The challenges

No system is perfect. Working from the living room couch isn't always easy. The living room is often the center of daily activity, so it is understandable clashes will occur.

The child

Children living in the house can be a bit of a challenge — young ones especially. Older children are dealing with school, either in-person or online. Younger ones are at more loose ends and need attention and supervision. We're all in this together. Try to work out a reasonable childcare schedule with your partner. See if there are some quiet but positive activities the kid or kids could do.

If you have a home office, it's easier to sequester yourself off. If you're working from the couch, it's more of a challenge. You may need to readjust your hours to times when the kids are in bed. If you have a flexible freelance schedule, this won't be too much of a problem, but if you're working a traditional job — but from home — you will have to have a family meeting.

Boundaries, or lack thereof

Couches are often located in highly-social rooms — a living room, a rec room, etc. For that reason, it's going to get some traffic, and it's going to get people coming in who might not automatically assume you're working despite all visible evidence to the contrary. They'll try to talk. They'll turn on the television. They'll ask you to fold the laundry. They'll ask you not to use real-life examples.

In any case, it's up to you to make sure work boundaries are clear. They don't have to leave, but it would be best if they could let you do your work with as little interruption as reasonably possible. When you end your day's work session, you're all theirs.

Can something be too comfortable?

Maybe. Probably. Don't go falling asleep on us. It may take a little discipline, but it gets easier over time. Stay focused. If you find it impossible to stay motivated, well… maybe the couch isn't going to work out for you at all.

Have you tried the back seat of your car?

As productive as you want to be

All I'm really saying is you have options. Not everyone can have the sweet setup Tim Denning has — at least not right away. Sometimes the couch is all you have. If that's the case, you make do with what you have and do the best you can.

It takes some discipline, that's true. But you can say that about a lot of things — especially anything related to working from home.

Don't feel constrained by every article describing the perfect home office or what you need to be productive. All you really need is will and a reasonably quiet place to work. The rest will fall into place. If a better situation comes along, don't be afraid to take it. But, for now, your couch is a fine place to be productive.

I haven't done this week's accounting yet, but I managed to bill over a thousand dollars from my couch last week. Results may vary, but I don't think it'd have been much different even if I worked from Tim Denning's office.

Have a productive day wherever you are.

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