Full-time workers will spend a large chunk of their working hours on the job, so having the right workspace is crucial. Director and producer Martin Bonnici loves his; blogger and proofreader Claire Bonello doesn’t. They explain why to David Schembri.

Martin Bonnici says the best thing about his workspace is that it is very quiet. Photos: David Schembri

Martin Bonnici (shadeena.com)

“I work from home, a small apartment in Valletta. I’m a director and producer, working in television commercials, short films and animated projects. So most of my work comes down to e-mails, phone calls, research, writing, reviewing work sent in by colleagues and giving them feedback, and doing some animation.

My office is a small room with a desk, two computers, two monitors, a printer, a whiteboard, some shelves and assorted stationery. Over the years, different objects have settled into the space. I keep my landline, tablet and smartphone right next to me, together with a couple of reference books and some assorted pens andpencils (most of which have longdried out).

Video and film work mean you get lots of data, so I have a stack of hard drives, some serving as backups and some as transport drives for various projects. Most of the shelves are taken up by books on film-making and some Malteseliterature. My chair was the cheapest office chair I could find that has lower back support.

When it comes to the most important piece of kit I use, I guess it’s a tie between my computer and my whiteboard. I do a lot of stuff on my PC, from e-mails to post-production. My whiteboard is the place where I think. I scribble notes, ideas, to-do lists, I sketch out projects and it helps me visualise and organise what I’m working on.

Although I use a lot of specialised programmes in my line of work, the most important software I use is the Google Chrome browser. It’s the only software I have open all the time so that I access e-mails, files I keep on the cloud, contact colleagues and clients, do research, market my work.

Getting to this particular version of my workspace was a very organic process and not something I ever sat down to organise, so I guess it’s been going on for the past six orso years. I started working from home about four years ago, so obviously that was the most importantperiod.

The best thing about where I work is that it’s a quiet space; the worst bit is that it’s close to my bed, so on a quiet, warm, summerafternoon it’s very tempting to have a siesta.

If I had to upgrade one component of my workspace, I would probably get another whiteboard. These things are amazing!

I wouldn’t say working from home is easier than working in an office; it’s just a different experience. The best thing about working from home is that you don’t waste time commuting and you can set your own schedule. The worst thing about working from home is that you set your own schedule so it’s easy to forget to take a break and just keep on working.

I’ve gotten used to a kind of cycle where the workspace goes through phases – from organised to busy to complete mess and then back again. It’s almost a ritual now and, in a way, de-cluttering the workspace every few weeks helps me go through notes and paperwork and make sure everything is in order.

How do I keep my workspace organised? It has a mind of its own and it keeps me organised, not the other way round.”

Claire Bonello feels the worst thing about her workspace is that it lacks natural sunlight.

Claire Bonello (clairebonello.com)

“I am a full-time university student and a trainee notary. I also have a proofreading business and maintain a blog. Therefore, work for me usually involves writing essays, blog posts and notes, proofreading theses and conducting research – all these usually mean I’m typing away at a computer.

My workspace varies according to my location and the work I need to be doing at that moment in time. Usually, I work on my laptop (which I can – and do – take almost anywhere), or else on the family computer.

Lugging my laptop (along with any other necessary documents) around with me can be an annoying activity, but working in different places (off the same laptop) does wonders to my productivity most of the time. My home’s desktop computer has a massive monitor (very handy) and a comfortable chair, but is also surrounded with a lot of other people’s clutter.

My most important piece of kit is my laptop, which has a 15-inch screen. Any smaller and it wouldn’t be comfortable enough for long periods of time spent working on projects. Any larger and it would be too bulky to carry around. It’s my most important tool, closely followed by my Samsung Galaxy SII phone, which enables me to access documents and other information on the go.

I can’t just choose one important piece of software. Dropbox is impossible to live without – my files are available wherever and whenever I need them, all nicely synced up. Google Calendar contains my appointments, deadlines, my to-do lists and some general observations.

Feedly is where I read all the new content of sites and blogs I follow, including anything from baking websites to fashion blogs to daily comic strips to The Economist. Gmail is where I receive e-mails and alerts sent to all my e-mail addresses in one beautiful inbox. I’m an advocate of Inbox Zero, but it’s a rarity that I manage to practice what I preach, particularly since I have a tendency to use Gmail as a to-do list as well.

It had taken me a few months to properly fine-tune a productivity system, involving my Google Calendars, Gmail and Dropbox, and the process is ongoing. I’ve flirted with other software, but I’m quite pleased with the groove I’ve got going. As far as kit goes, I’m aching to have my own dedicated workspace with tonnes of natural sunlight, a vase of flowers and a relatively clear desk. I don’t havethat yet.

The best thing about my workspace is that it is customised to my needs, although this is mostly referring to software. Being able to carry my work (almost) anywhere by means of my laptop is fantastic. I’ve been on many little trips this summer, and instead of taking a break, I felt a surge of productivity – due to being in a fresh environment – and got a mountain of work done. This couldn’t have happened had I not had my laptop (and Dropbox).

The worst thing about my workspace at home is that it lacks natural sunlight and the sliding keyboard tray can get annoying, even though it’s right for my height.

If I had to upgrade one component of my workspace, I would change my laptop to one that does not have the sole intention of heating my lap to the temperature of Eyjafjallajökull in its prime.

When I lived in England to do my Master’s, I had to create my own workspace from scratch for a year, and even though it was often a cramped situation, I loved being able to have my own area and my own system for everything. Starting afresh with a workspace does seem to work wonders. This means that I’m looking to hopefully ‘upgrade’ my workspace in the near future with a bright, fresh, new desk in a sunlit place, with meticulousorganisation...

I find it very difficult to avoid clutter. I usually try to group things and have designated places for everything (as well as a junk drawer for little knick-knacks like staplers and calculators, which are only occasionally required). The worst situation to be in is to have to deal with other people’s clutter, however. You’re reluctant to move anything or throw anything away, so you just end up piling your own clutter on top of all the other clutter – not the perfect, calm atmosphere for focused work.