WHERE You DO iT Matters

Think where you “do it” doesn’t matter? Think again. 

In this episode of the UNCOMMODiFiED Podcast, Tim Windsor dispels the myth that "what" and "how" are all that matter. He exposes the shocking truth that where you work, dream, and create is the game-changer you're ignoring. Armed with cutting-edge research, Tim explores the psychology of space, revealing how the environments you choose can affect your focus, creativity, and results.

From the chaos of open-plan offices to the tranquillity of nature, this episode is a masterclass in reclaiming control over your life by mastering your surroundings. Learn why your bed is the worst workspace, how the wrong space pulls you into mediocrity, and why your excuses about space are self-imposed prison walls.

You'll get practical strategies for defining, auditing, and optimizing spaces to fuel productivity and creativity—whether you're hustling solo or leading a team. And Tim doesn't stop there. He takes on leadership, challenging you to create environments that energize your team, turning them from burnt-out zombies to boundary-pushing innovators.

This is your wake-up call: control your space, or it will control you. LISTEN NOW AND FIND OUT WHY.

Tim Windsor
the UNCOMMODiFiED Podcast – Host & Guide
tim@uncommodified.com
https://uncommodified.com/
 
PRODUCERS: Kris MacQueen & Alyne Gagne
MUSIC BY: https://themacqueens.com

Transcript

PLEASE NOTE: UNCOMMODiFiED Podcast episode transcriptions are raw text files and have not been proofed or edited. They are what they are … Happy Reading.

© UNCOMMODiFiED & TIM WINDSOR

[00:00:00] If you think the only thing that matters is what you're doing or how you're doing it, you've been fed a big, bold, bad ass lie because where you do it as equally or maybe even more important. And if you're ignoring that, you're cutting yourself off at the knees. Hey, my friends, welcome Podcast. I'm Tim Windsor.

And today we're going to do a deep dive into the psychology of of space. When I first started podcasting, I recorded my episodes in the same place that I worked every day, in my office. Then I began to think that having a studio to do my recording would improve the audio, but maybe it would also allow me to enter that space in a different way and from a different perspective.

And I feel like it does. I recently moved my office, my work office, from my light obscured basement an illuminated space on the top floor of my house. I wasn't really sure why, but I feel like I'm more engaged, even a little bit more enlightened as I work. And so I began to [00:01:00] think, is this all about feelings or is there some cold hard facts to back up what I feel like I'm experiencing?

That led me to do some research, as it often does, and as a result, here are my musings. Where you choose to do things, where I choose to do things, whether it's where you work, where you think, where you dream, where you create, where you make life happen, affects everything about the outcome. It actually does.

And I'm not just talking about some weird, wild, sort of woo woo thing here. There is cold, hard science and real psychology to back this up. So let's break it down a little bit. First of all, let's get something straight. Your space, your environment, is influencing you way more than you think. It's not just about aesthetics, or having a neat little desk, or whether you've got plants by your window.

I mean, all that's quite cute, but actually, it goes much deeper than that. Research from environmental psychologists confirms this. Space molds our mental [00:02:00] state. It molds our focus, our creativity, and even drives motivation. One study from the Journal of Environmental Psychology found that people who worked in spaces that aligned with their values and needs experienced a 25 percent increase in productivity.

Now, I want you to sit with that stat for a second. 25%. So you think maybe that you're grinding it hard and it's working for you. But in fact, you might only be working at 75 percent of what you could be if the space was more effective and not sabotaging you as much. very much. Most people don't realize that space can be, and often is, a problem for us.

And this is where most people, I think, miss the mark. They, they think that choosing the right space is a luxury. It's, it's just a nice to have. People say, I don't have time or money to curate my environment. You know what that is? At the day, that's bullshit. That's just an excuse. An excuse is our prisons we build for ourselves, and if we don't take control of our space, [00:03:00] space is controlling us.

And that's the bottom line. In a 2017 study, researchers looked at how the design of impacted employees experience. They found that workers in open planned offices were 32 percent more likely to experience stress and distraction. 2%. You're sitting there trying to focus, and it's like you're under attack from every angle.

Phones ringing, keyboards clacking, , everyone in their conversations, loud chewing. That's the forces of shared space evil frustrating your flow, crushing your creative juices, and making you feel like you're barely surviving your workday. But maybe you don't believe the stat I just gave you. Maybe you actually think that workplace offices that are shared are more efficient.

Well, listen to this. The renowned researcher and organizational psychologist, Adam Grant, summarized the findings of a series of research studies in this area as follows, and I quote, The evidence is quite clear. Open plan offices are bad [00:04:00] for people and organizations. 27 percent more sick days, 14 percent lower cognitive performance, 70 percent less face to face interaction.

And then he goes on to say this, for the sake of health, productivity and collaboration, let's design spaces with doors. But it doesn't just stop there. It, it's not just a work problem, it's, it's a life problem. It's a personal problem. It's your personal space matters too. Let me ask you something. When, when you have a tough decision to make.

Where do you go? Where do you physically position yourself? Do you sit at the kitchen table surrounded by chaos? Or do plop down on the couch with Netflix screaming at you? Or do you take a walk or find a place where your mind can breathe? Because here's the deal. You need to be more strategic and I need to be more strategic about where you do things and where you make decisions, where you reflect, where you process.

Not every space is created equal. A [00:05:00] 2019 study published in Nature magazine indicated that being in nature and natural environments like parks or near water can boost cognitive function by 20%. That's huge. So if you're stuck, if you're feeling drained, ask yourself, what space do I need to find to help me move forward?

The wrong space could be pulling you into mediocrity and the right space could propel you into greatness. It's not a subtle difference. It might be a make or break difference at the end of the day. So why do we get it all so wrong? , why for years , did I get all this wrong and I still don't get it right?

But most of us, I think, suck at managing space because we don't even think about it. That's where it starts. We, we treat where we work, think, create like an afterthought. We get lazy, we get complacent. And why? Because we're too busy reacting to life, reacting to things instead of taking charge of them. We live in a world that wants us to believe that we can do everything, anywhere.

And that's a lie sold to us by a culture that's constantly available and [00:06:00] distracted. Oh, I can work from my bed. Newsflash, you can't work very well from your bed. You cannot work effectively, actually, from your bed. You can half ass your work from your bed. But if you want to go all in, if you want to uncommodify yourself, that bed, isn't going to cut it.

There's um, there's a term , that describes this. It's called context dependent memory. It's the idea that where you are physically affects how you recall information or solve problems. If you deep work in the same space where you sleep or binge watch shows, your brain, gets confused according to researchers.

The lines blur and suddenly you're neither relaxing nor working efficiently, although you think you are. You must find or create spaces that serve you. So now let's take this out of the theoretical and put it in the practical. How can you manage your space better personally and professionally?

Step one, audit your environment. Right now, [00:07:00] even. Take a look at where you're listening to my voice. Is your space working for you? Is it working against you? Is it energizing you or does it make you feel like you're in a mental prison? If it's the latter, you could change it. You could choose to do something differently.

Now I'm not talking about gutting your whole office or spending thousands on a renovation. But actually maybe just declutter, personalize and control the noise level a little bit, the lighting, even the scent. Those might be subtle but powerful ways to enhance your space. Step two, define your spaces. You need specific spaces for specific activities.

Workplaces should feel different than rest areas. Create visual or physical cues to tell your brain this is work, and this is relaxation. Even in small apartments or tiny offices, you can do this by setting boundaries. Maybe it's a chair by the window where you always do your deep work, or maybe it's the corner of a cafe where you have your best ideas generated.

Optimize [00:08:00] with intention. This is where people drop the ball. They don't optimize with intention. Your space should be designed to match the activity. If you need to be creative, add elements that spark creativity. Art, color, whatever inspires you. If it's focus, reduce distractions. It's not about making it perfect.

It's about making it fit you and work for you. And you may even want to consult an expert in this field. Look in your local area, your local market. Find somebody who can help you have a conversation with yourself about space and maybe give you some practical advice. Now back to the research. One study from the Harvard Business Review found that people are 15 percent more likely to feel satisfied and energized in spaces that reflect their personality and needs.

That's not a small number. It's the difference between burning out and thriving maybe at the end of the day. Now, let's think about this maybe in a, in a more professional, , way, but the professional impact of creating spaces that lead to excellence within our organizations or our businesses.

If you're in a leadership [00:09:00] position, I want you to listen up. If you create the right space, and it is up to you to create the environments where people can excel, you can control or you can predict better success. Now if you cram people into cubicles, slap some fluorescent lights overhead and call it a day, Guess what?

You're building a team of burnout zombies, not high performers. 2018 Gallup study found that employees who feel satisfied with their work environment are 37 percent more engaged. 37%. Engaged employees are the ones who make your businesses run like a well oiled machine. They're the ones who innovate, push boundaries, and solve problems.

They're the ones who care. But if you give them a shitty space, and they feel shitty while they're trying to create results, that's a problem. So here's the bottom line. If you take control of your space, you ultimately take control of your life and others. The space you operate in is either empowering you or crippling you and others.

It's not [00:10:00] neutral. If you want to be uncommodified, if you want to stand out to hit the next level, you've got to take charge of where you're doing your thing. Stop winging it. Stop letting your space dictate your mood, your productivity, your creativity. Control it. Own it. Make it yours. Because where you do it matters just as much as what you do.

And that's not just a biased opinion. It's a scientific and psychological reality. If you're ready to take control of your space and your results, you know what to do. Share this episode with someone who needs to hear it, and let's start creating spaces that drive success. Until next time, get out there and create spaces that serve you and others.

Cheers.