Create a Space
When Waliya was just three months old, I’d leave a little post-it note with the message, “I’m working in the lobby lounge, be back after Fajr ❤️,” for my husband before tip-toeing around all the evidence pointing to our status as first-time-parents as I headed towards the door. We were living in a 25th floor penthouse at the time and although I loved the view and breeze from up above, I needed a space quiet enough to work without waking up my loves. Even sliding our balcony door was too risky. So I’d put on the hijab nearest to me, likely speckled with toothpaste or milk (I couldn’t tell) and take my laptop and notebook before going down to our community lounge for an hour of uninterrupted creative work-time.
This quiet lounge was the closest I got to a “workspace” in my first year of motherhood, but it was more than enough. My favourite corner was always empty no matter which day it was. Turns out 5:30am is the best time to feel a sense of invisibility. I’d work until I got a message from my husband saying Waliya was up and ready for the day. I’d smile and head upstairs with added excitement for not just the day ahead, but my little space of solitude the next day.
““Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.””
After moving, I made a mental note of all the spaces in my home that could serve as a small working nook for me as my planner project was growing. It didn’t need to be a large space, but making a space meant that I was giving it a home and a place to flourish with love and importance just like anything else I hold near and dear.
Without getting too consumed in Pinterest, I made note of a few workspace ideas that felt natural for me and starting crafting my space. Good natural lighting, check. A cute pen holder, check. A comfy chair, a nearby outlet, and a real plant with a low likelihood of dying. And finally, my creative journals and laptop, check! Did I get the exact room I wanted for my workspace, no, but I was very happy with my nook and it was a step that made me excited to continue creating? Investing in my space also meant that my loved ones noticed and also gave importance to my work as more than just a side project. It meant that my work, my writing, ideas, and projects were and are worthy of space, time, and commitment.
As much as I love to work in peace, you and I both know that can be impossible for mothers in the middle of a day when children are home. So now, my workspace is casually referred to as a “multi-purpose area” from the hours of 9am-6pm. This basically means my daughter will pick up any of my calligraphy pens and try writing her name, or dabble in my notebooks and add a sticker or two where I wasn’t expecting, but her mark in this space is what makes it feel even more special and shows me she’ll also want to leave her creative mark in the world wherever she goes. I want her to see that her mother had interests, ideas, and a love for creative goals throughout her child-bearing years so she too can make her space when her time comes.
Writing Prompts // Reflection
Do you have a space in your home where you feel inspired to create? What do you love about the space? What can you add/remove to make it feel more comfortable and life-giving for you creative dreams?
If you don’t have a creative nook yet, where might you want to make one?
What times in the day can you carve out to write, paint, draw, design, bake, read, create?
Head over to Pinterest to look for minimal workspace ideas and note a few you’d like to incorporate into your area. Perhaps a plant, a nice quote print, or even a comfy chair.
