Building Project: Outdoor Office
I love the outdoors and being in nature. Perhaps this is the only possible outcome of a farm upbringing, for a 100-acre backyard is a dream come true for the majority of young boys. There are many who do not outgrow their love of the outdoors, and I have long desired to bridge the gap between the want for time in nature, and the never ending need for personal productivity and output in the professional world. Is it possible to have a bit of both?
We know that being outside lowers stress levels and spurs creativity, and what better setting to engage in "Deep Work" as Cal Newport would say, than an office in the woods? My goal is to channel my inner Thoreau/Newport and build such a place; I dream of what I might accomplish free from the distraction of coffee shops and the modern office setting. Thoreau and others who joined him in relative seclusion to focus on thinking and writing were on to something - while we as humans need and crave social interaction, in order to "get stuff done" we need distraction-free focus. Few are those who can produce high-quality work, on a consistent basis, while also wallowing in distraction. It is often in deep isolation that brilliance and the written word unite.
And so it is - I will be building and/or buying a writing/working/thinking cabin in the woods, and I will document my progress here on the blog. This is the first in a multi-part series, with subsequent articles labeled as Outdoor Office Update #2, Outdoor Office Update #3, and so forth and so on. This of course is not unique, for there are many who document the building of such structures online. My aim here is not originality, more so a public display for accountability purposes; the truth is that I've wanted to do something like this for years now, and simply never got around to it. Making our goals/plans public has a funny way of driving us forward - when I boldly proclaimed in December of 2015 that I would launch a book about Power Towers in September of 2016 - the pressure was on, and in a good way!
For an example of what I am going for, check out the following sites:
Or simply type "Outdoor Office" into a Google or Google image search. The first step in my plan is to find suitable land, then determine whether to build my own office or buy a prefab office pod or shed. The possibilities are endless, as there are a plethora of companies online that specialize in outdoor studios and working spaces. As for timing...my optimal, desired move-in date is May 1st, 2017. We shall see - stay tuned!
DIY Standing Desk
