Part of moving is, well, exactly what it says on the tin. I’ve probably experienced this process before, during previous moves, but never quite articulated it.

See, when you live in a place for a long time, you develop habits of work and play. Daily routines that account for the vagaries of the space. You roll out of bed and make coffee before stopping in the bathroom because the kitchen’s closer to the bedroom than the bathroom is. Laundry, cooking, cleaning- they get done in a particular order because of where the tools are located and how they relate to the chore and the amount of time you have to do it. Where you store your keys, shoes, coat, other necessary accoutrements- all dictated by the confines of the space.

Then you move to a new place, and you have to decide, did I develop those habits because they were correct, or because the space dictated the habit, and how much should I change the habit now that I’m in new surroundings?

For example, I got into the habit of eating breakfast and lunch in my office, because it was close to the kitchen and I detested the dining room setup. Now the office is less convenient to the kitchen, and I have a better dining room. Time to ditch that old habit and eat meals like a civilized human being. I’m still working on getting rid of the old habit of writing in my pajamas, then getting dressed afterward- this whole ‘civilization’ thing, it’s a work in progress.

And sometimes, it’s a process that goes through several iterations before you get it right. Take my silverware drawer. Wait, not literally; I need that; I could stir my coffee with a pocketknife, but it’d make a mess.

Anyway. For the first couple of days here, the silverware drawer was on the right side of the counter, under the plates. The theory was that that’s the closest point to the table, so it’d be convenient to have silverware and plates there. Turns out that, no, putting that drawer on the left side of the counter, next to the dishwasher and closer to the stove, makes more sense. Just another part of learning to live in a new space.

I think most people go through a similar process during any kind of change, and probably should try to go through the thought process- what are my habits; did I develop those habits because they were correct, or because the space dictated the habit; should I change them?- every once in a while, even when you haven’t changed location. It’s easy to slide into unproductive habits while life’s happening, and hard to get out of them, especially if you don’t recognize when you’re falling into a bad habit. Writing is no exception.

Is your chair comfortable? Is your desk at the right height? What are the most distracting sights and sounds in your workspace? Is there enough light? What time of day do you write? How much time do you spend snacking instead of working?- okay, maybe that’s just me.

And the most important question of all- is it worth trying to improve your workspace and habits? Sometimes, it’s not, because that’d require upending your entire life or spending ungodly amounts of money. Sometimes, it’s as simple as hitting the button on the clothes dryer immediately before you go to bed, instead of doing it when you walk into your office the next morning and try to work next to the noise. Oopsie. But that’s what happens when the laundry room moves from ‘across the house’ to ‘right next to the office.’

Look around your workspace. What habits have you developed over time? Are they still useful? What can you do, and what should you do, to improve your space?