My office

Transcript

I'm not an office worker, but I spend quite a bit of time in my research room at the university. It's actually a small office on the east side of our campus. It has a very nice view of Mount Hiei, but usually I keep the curtains closed to block the strong morning sunlight.

My office has a bookcase, a filing cabinet, a work desk, several chairs, and a computer stand. The computer stand is only five years old, but, like me, everything else has been in that room for more than 25 years.

Like many offices in Japan, my office is very small and cramped. There's just enough room for four of five students to squeeze into my office for a group meeting. I never have enough space for books, and I'm always struggling with the mountains of papers that wind up on my desk.

Recently I've been thinking about improving my work space. I have to admit that I really enjoy looking at catalogs for office supplies and furniture. Some companies have great ideas and products for people who work in tight spaces. Little pieces of furniture, like stands and cases, can make office space much more organized.

Small changes can make a work environment much more efficient and satisfying, so I'll keep looking at catalogs and dreaming of ways to reorganize my little office.