Yesterday we had our roof replaced, so we stayed overnight in a nearby rental. At first it was fun being somewhere new. But as the day went on and I tried to work, it quickly became frustrating.

While I’d brought my laptop, charger, tablet, and even my lap desk with me, nothing felt right. The only workspace was in my daughter’s room, and she needed to complete her own homework before going to her job.

This left the dining room table, which was glass, small, and square. Cute for a romantic meal for two, but not too comfortable for typing on a laptop. My elbows were the wrong height, and I was worried about scratching the glass.

This left the couch or bed. The couch was comfortable but had no ottoman, so I ended up sitting with my computer on my lap and my feet flat on the floor. That just didn’t feel right, either.

So, I ended up on the bed with my computer on my lap desk. That worked fairly well, but there was no TV, so I couldn’t have my usual background noise. I pulled up my favorite game show channel on my tablet, but then couldn’t figure out where to put it. If I put it on the dresser, it was too far away to see. If I put it beside me on my husband’s pillows, I had to turn my head at a ninety-degree angle anytime I wanted to see something.

I ended up putting it on the bed beside me, using the built-in kickstand. That worked well, but I was afraid if one of our fur babies jumped on the bed, they might knock it off or scratch it.

As a result of all of this, I did a couple of tasks that were absolutely essential then gave up.

So why post about all of this? As a reminder of how important it is for both teachers and students to have a good workspace. My house is small, and I don’t have an extra bedroom I can use as an office, but I do quite well with a closet, a lap desk, and my trusty laptop. My bed is cozy and my TV is in just the right spot for background noise. My lap desk supports my wrists well and eliminates neck strain from hunching over.

When I teach a live class on Zoom, I move my incredibly supportive office chair from the desk in our dining room back to the bedroom and position it in front of the closet. Since my closet has become my mini office, I have bookshelves inside which makes a great background. I can then place my laptop on a lap desk which rests on the foot of my bed. I end up with a video that looks professional yet inviting for my students but is ergonomically correct for myself.

I didn’t get all of this figured out overnight; it’s been a process. So why spend so much time on it? So I can focus on my work and give my students my absolute best. And, even better, I can remind them of how important it is for them to have their own workspace and even help them figure out what will work best for them.