My New Office

After only a few weeks of trying to do my freelance work from home, I knew it wasn’t working. I envisioned my heating bill, grocery bill (“snack” bill would be more accurate), and my weight ballooning while my productivity deflated by the hour. I’ve tried working at Starbucks and Panera before, but since I don’t drink coffee and I’m too nosy to avoid eavesdropping, I knew that was not a good option. Instead, I headed to the library, unaware of the bliss that awaited me there.

OK, bliss is probably too strong a word, but it’s quickly becoming my favorite place to work. I’m getting my routine down: I put on my work attire (sweatpants and a ponytail holder), load up my computer and water bottle (snacks, thankfully, aren’t allowed at the library), and rack up a tax deduction during my five-mile commute. I park in the back row, doing my part to reserve the best spots for mothers with young children. In the past, that’s always been me. Before this month, I don’t think I’ve even walked into the library without a stroller in tow since the late 90s. It’s a weird feeling. It’s a good feeling. It’s a little like being back in college, where I spent hours nestled in between the stacks of books, escaping my coke-snorting roommate back at the dorm—but that’s a different story.

Pretty much the only people at the library are moms with kids and senior citizens. The moms smile at me because I share a similar taste in clothing. I also don’t shoot them dirty looks when their kids whack each other with a Ranger Rick. To maximize efficiency, though, I try to stay away from them, making my way to the delicious quiet found near the hunting and fishing books. Tables, footstools, and electrical outlets abound here. I face west and have a 180-degree view of the Rockies and Pikes Peak. (I didn’t think there was any work environment that could rival the beauty of Glen Eyrie, but the East Library is close.) My companions are sweet-faced, white-haired ladies and gentlemen who think I look smart—only because of my age—and make me feel smart by asking computer questions that I can occasionally answer.

There’s something about being surrounded by books and learning (as opposed to laundry and dishes) that jumpstarts my productivity. I plug into my iTunes and edit furiously. My focus is interrupted only by the occasional stroll to the restroom (where I reconnect with the moms of small children) and a little scanning-the-shelves indulgence. The best part is that I don’t have to wear gloves and a parka while I work because the library is delightfully warm. I think it has something to do with the senior citizens.