Inquiring minds would like to know, what makes creating in your given shop area of choice easier for you? 
Are there things we have in Asmbly shops that make it easier for you to get your work done? Our social media team wants to do a post about this, but I’m also just very curious now what the answer is for people because I imagine there will be a broad range of responses here.
Storage, AC and, most importantly, being able to just ask someone a question.
-Being able to leave materials for up to a week and just walk in and get started is huge.
-Having AC instead of battling heatstroke in my shed is a definite plus.
-What I’ve found is the most helpful (after I get over trying not to feel like a complete jackass) is just asking someone else in the shop how they would do something I’m struggling with.
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The feeds and speeds magnet on the Laguna Swift. I carry a printout of that same Vortex guide in my Asmbly tool bag.
Evernote for keeping notes on laser settings
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I had a much more philosophical response, but #1 is AC. Here’s what I was going to say before I was reminded of this fact. 
I often say that you can tell the state of my brain by the state of my workbench. When 3+ unfinished projects pile up, and 1 sqft of usable bench space remains for new work… there is also very little room in my thoughts for getting anything done. When I have time to recover my balance, I often first clean up the workbench. Putting away tools, prioritizing projects and storing those not making progress, and getting things organized means that my space is ready to make something - which means my mind is ready to make something too!
Adam Savage says that cleaning up the workshop at the end of the day is a gift you give your future self - a space ready for inspiration and possibility. When I compromise on these gifts - and I often do, whether from time pressure or stress or multitasking - my future self is somewhat drained. When I pay it forward, I get to have that inspiration, and my stress is vastly reduced! Which comes first, the stress or the clutter? I have no idea. But I do know that both are self-reinforcing cycles.
What does Asmbly have? SPACE. Both physical and mental space, thoughtfully created and arranged, maintained by communal effort, and equipped for more projects than I know how to do. That is the recipe for inspiration!
That combination of emptiness and preparedness is a gift, given to me by whoever used the space just before me. It lets me escape a stressful space, start working on something right away, and recover enough balance that I can stay in the virtuous cycle of getting the space ready for the next possibility.
Oh, also I don’t have space for a table saw at home.
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In the woodshop specifically, I always appreciate when people list what tools they’ll be using extensively on their skeda booking. Can really put a damper on excitement/productivity when you came in to use a specific tool, but someone else needs that tool for long periods of time. I’ve been bad about it as well, but scheduling times when I know the tool I need is open keeps me more motivated, and booking descriptions help with that.
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