I recently read a newspaper article about a law student who had built up enormous debt, not simply from her law school bills as you might expect, but from her costly daily mocha habit as well.  She’ll be paying off those mochas for decades.  It’s pretty easy to see that if she were to have skipped at least one $5 mocha per day, she’d save at least $25 per week.  Good advice, but I’m not writing a financial newsletter.  The question that I’m curious about is this: WHY did she need to spend so much time in an expensive coffee shop drinking expensive coffee?  What was it about those surroundings that were so attractive to her?

As a social psychologist, I know that our social worlds have an enormous effect on our thoughts, feelings, and behavior.  Your social world is made up of the people and objects around you, the intangible things around you (like sights, sounds, and smells), and your thoughts about the people and things (both tangible and intangible) around you. 

We nearly always have a choice about what we would like our social worlds to include.  The law student chose to spend her days in an expensive coffee shop drinking expensive coffee, because that particular social world served some purpose for her.  Granted, her world was a costly one, but she likely benefited in some way from her surroundings.  It may be that the surroundings helped her relax.  It may be that the surroundings made her feel wealthy.  Or, it may be that she just really liked the taste of that mocha.

Several of my friends had similar habits during graduate school.  For them, the experience wasn’t about the coffee.  Instead, they were simply looking for a quiet place to study.  They found that the environment of the coffee shop was better suited to studying than their homes were.  The only drawback was that they had to pay to use the space…by buying those expensive coffees!

As a coach, I help people reshape their social worlds in order to achieve the best possible effect on their thoughts, feelings, and behavior.  Even a small aspect of your social world can have a big effect on your thoughts, feelings, and behavior.  So, even a slight change to your social world can lead to big results, either positive or negative.  Some of the changes that my clients make involve their interactions with the people around them or their perspectives on their own life situations.  Other changes are more basic, physical changes.  I usually write about the mental and emotional sides of my work, but today we’re focusing on the tangible stuff. 

Think about your current surroundings – whether at home or at work.  Ask yourself these questions:

• Is your space arranged so that it helps to set the mood for whatever you’re doing? 
• Does your physical environment motivate you and further your progress on your tasks? 
• Do your surroundings please you?

If these are too abstract for you, here are a couple of basic questions to ask yourself:

• If you’re sitting at a desk, is your chair comfortable?
• Is your workspace well-lit?
• Is the air around you a comfortable temperature?

If you can’t answer “yes” to all of these questions, then it’s time to change your surroundings.  Start with the basics: good chair, good lighting, good air temperature.  Then, check to see whether your surroundings help make your tasks easier.  Is everything that you need to have within reach actually within reach?  Do you have a great system for remembering dates, appointments, and things to do?  Do you have the help that you need to get your tasks done easily?  A little organization (and assistance) goes a long way.

Next, assess whether your space helps to set the right mood for whatever you’re doing.  Do you feel invigorated and refreshed when you get out of bed in the morning?  Do you feel motivated and ready to go when you begin to work?  Do you feel relaxed and comfortable while lounging on your deck or porch?  Make whatever changes you need to make in order to insure that your environment encourages you to feel whatever you need to feel while you’re in that environment.  I spent nearly a full year waking up to U2’s “Mysterious Ways” on my CD alarm clock.  As soon as I heard the first few notes, I was ready to go.

Finally, move on to the things that make your surroundings more pleasant.  Pleasant sounds (whether music, nature sounds, or simply white noise), pleasant smells (from a candle, an open window, or even an air freshener), and pleasant sights (family photos, favorite postcards, or a beautiful view) will all add to your surroundings.  If you create a space that pleases you, you’ll want to spend time in that space and it will be easier and more fun to do the things you need and want to do there.

If, like the law student, you find yourself “escaping” to another location too often, then it may be time to simulate that location closer to home.  It’s likely that the law student could have created the coffee shop environment in her own home by making a few changes to her surroundings.  She could have created a distraction-free space by turning off her phone, moving the TV out of the room, and putting away anything that might entice her away from her work.  An initial investment in a great coffee maker, a couple of CDs, and a good reading lamp would have helped her save the cost of her daily mochas, significantly reducing her long term debt.  And the power and confidence she – and you! – would gain upon realizing that by changing her world she can change her life?  Priceless.

Here’s a lovely bit of irony….

I’m having a new air conditioner installed as I write this.  It’s 94 degrees outside and the air has been off all day.  I’ve been listening to hammering, banging, and drilling for several hours.  It’s hot and noisy here.  I’m longing to head out to an air conditioned coffee shop to write…

Call Lisa at (614) 262-8820 to arrange a complimentary coaching session or click here to send an email.  

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Life Navigation Coaching
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lisa@lifenavigationcoaching.com

www.lifenavigationcoaching.com

The Explorer is published monthly to inspire curious people – people who love to explore, discover, and learn – to go out and get what they want.  It is written by Lisa M. Evans, Ph.D., of Life Navigation Coaching, who coaches people to close the gap between where they are and where they want to be.

You can contact Lisa at (614) 262-8820 or by e-mail at lisa@lifenavigationcoaching.com.

Visit Life Navigation Coaching at www.lifenavigationcoaching.com to learn more about life coaching, Lisa, and opportunities for you.

You may use material from The Explorer in whole or in part, provided you include the complete attribution, including a live web site link and e-mail link.  Please inform me when and where the material will appear.  

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