During the pandemic we were facing the cancellation of our annual visit up north to Michigan and I was burning out at work. I wanted to still take a week off but could not bare the idea of sitting at home. 'Rona ultimately was the deciding factor of the cancellation, but family drama in Michigan and a rough patch at home took all the wind out of my sails and I had no energy to push on.
Focusing in on the rough patch, this was due to the prolonged work from home situation in a 1,500 sq ft house with three kids and my wife and I both working a side gig. To fix this I needed space. I had time, I needed a distraction and I had to get out from behind my computer.
So I bought plans to build a backyard office and set to work. There are two tales here that I'll summarize in two paragraphs below.
Anxiety of Overcommitment
I underestimated the time, materials and money it takes to build a small 10'x10' office in the yard. The plan to build a space to ease my work from home and provide refuge has added to my ever-growing list of overcommitments. I have one more thing to badger me as I hit snooze...one more thing to avoid in the evening with beer and Netflix. I'm too far into the project to turn back, but each day I spend building is time away from the family and it's creating more of an issue than sharing a small house to raise a family and work. My only recourse is to angrily power through and get this off my plate so I can focus on more meaningful things. Peace in Effort
Finding Peace in Effort
I underestimated the time, materials and money it takes to build a small 10'x10' office in the yard. It started with prepping the ground, then building the floor/base, then framing the walls, then building the trusses, then raising the frame, then raising the trusses, roofing, doors/windows, siding and deck. I list all of these items because, for a first timer, each takes research and trial and error. What I thought I could accomplish in a week, is now on week 4. However, I reset my timing expectation and thought each section through allowing myself to customize as I see fit. I have a grand vision and each night I get a step closer to realizing that vision. I've learned an immense amount of information about construction...all the nuance is understood and I'm proud of each step.
I chose the latter path and by redefining my expectation of time, the project has been able to breathe, allowing for modifications and enhancements. I'm truly proud of the vision I have for this space and slowly moving towards realizing it. I can't wait for move-in day.
