In the summer months, my office clears out fairly early. Some of the staff are on summer hours, and others tend to leave a bit earlier than normal.
Since I regularly pick up my daughter at daycare in the late afternoon, I often stay until around five o’clock, and that tends to afford me with a few hours of some real quiet time.
While I always have the option of closing my door if I need quiet during the work day, I tend to like to leave it open; an open door is an invitation, a closed door is not. And, on the occasions where my door is closed, it is often clear that I’m doing some pretty intense work, and often my colleagues recognize that and provide me with the space I need.
So, it is a bit of a treat to have a few hours each afternoon where I can work, in silence if necessary, with my door open. It often feels like I’m inviting the quiet in, rather than shutting myself away to get it.
I’m not someone who always needs a quiet space, but there are times when my thoughts are thick and detailed and I operate best with little to no sound. Instead of having to try and find time to close my door, I can use the afternoon freely. Peace and quiet is just as nice when we invite it in, rather than force it to stay with us.