Comfort is easy to measure. You sit down and you either like it or you don’t. Productivity is harder to read, because the losses are quiet. Twenty minutes hunting for a charger. A phone within reach at every stall. A chair you only notice at hour three.

This audit checks the setup you actually have, not the one in your head. Ten questions, three answers each, twenty points total. Answer for an ordinary Tuesday at 3 p.m., not your best day.

Your score lands in one of three bands, and the pillar where you lost the most points shows you what to fix first. Add up your points as you go, or skip the math with the instant version at the bottom. Then change one thing this week and see what moves.

Somatic Sovereignty · Field Audit
Governed or just comfortable?
You own the territory. This audit checks whether it is governed. Ten questions, twenty points, no judgment from anyone except your desk.
How to score: grab a pen. For each question, pick the answer that is true on an ordinary Tuesday at 3 p.m., not on your best day. Circle the points beside it, add them up, then check the key at the bottom. Prefer to skip the math? Run the auto-scoring version.
01 · Start Friction
After you sit down to work, how long until you are doing real work?
2   Under a minute. Everything I need is within reach.
 
1   A few minutes. I usually have to find, charge, or clear something first.
 
0   Longer. Getting set up takes a while every time.
 
02 · Start Friction
How cluttered is your desk right now?
2   Not cluttered. Only what today's work needs is on it.
 
1   Somewhat. Mostly work items, plus a few things that don't belong.
 
0   Very. Papers, dishes, and unrelated items cover much of the surface.
 
03 · Body
How well does your chair support you through a long work session?
2   Well. I can sit for hours without discomfort or constantly shifting.
 
1   Okay for an hour or two, then I start to fidget or ache.
 
0   Poorly. My chair hurts, or I often work from a couch or bed.
 
04 · Sound and Zones
During your hardest work, how often does sound pull your attention away? Think household noise, traffic, other people, or phone alerts.
2   Rarely. I control it with headphones, a closed door, quiet hours, or notifications turned off.
 
1   Sometimes. It bothers me, but I haven't done much about it.
 
0   Often. I mostly put up with it.
 
05 · Sound and Zones
Do you have a dedicated spot for focused work?
2   Yes. I use one spot only for focused work.
 
1   Partly. I use my general desk, but I have a routine that starts focus time.
 
0   No. I work wherever is convenient, including where I relax or scroll.
 
06 · Body
Do you have a system that gets you moving during the workday?
2   Yes. A timer, standing block, or scheduled walk makes it happen automatically.
 
1   Informally. I move when I remember to.
 
0   No. I often realize hours have passed without standing up.
 
07 · Body
Is your lighting set up for long stretches of screen work?
2   Yes. I have natural or task light and no glare on my screen.
 
1   Mostly. There is some glare or dim light at certain times of day.
 
0   No. I work in whatever light the room happens to have.
 
08 · Nudges and Feedback
When your attention drifts mid-task, does your workspace help you get back on track?
2   Yes. My phone is out of reach and my next task is in view.
 
1   Neither way. It doesn't help or get in the way.
 
0   No. Distractions are within easy reach and nothing points me back to the task.
 
09 · Nudges and Feedback
When did you last change your setup because of a problem you noticed while working?
2   In the last three months.
 
1   Within the past year.
 
0   Not since I first set it up.
 
10 · Nudges and Feedback
When your focus is off, do you consider your workspace as a possible cause?
2   Yes. I check things like noise, light, clutter, and seating before blaming myself.
 
1   Sometimes, but usually only after several bad days.
 
0   No. I assume the problem is me or my motivation.
 
Your total: ______ / 20
Score key
0 to 6
   Cozy Cave. Your space is excellent at being a nice place to sit. It is less excellent at getting work out of you. Good news: this is the cheapest tier to improve. Pick your weakest pillar and change one thing this week.
7 to 13
   Functional, Still Leaking. The basics hold. Something is still bleeding attention, usually in a spot you stopped noticing months ago. Your weakest pillar is the likely leak. Plug that before you buy anything.
14 to 20
   Fully Governed. Your space makes the small decisions so you can spend yours on the work. Keep auditing anyway. Setups drift, and the desk that works in October gets quietly recolonized by February.
Find your leak
Add up each pillar. The one where you earned the smallest share of its points is your weakest. Do the move beside it this week, and only that one.
PILLAR YOURS YOUR MOVE
Start Friction
Q1 + Q2		 ____ / 4 Run the 60 second test tomorrow. Note everything you reach for in the first minute and keep those items where your hand lands. Clear the rest off the desk.
Sound and Zones
Q4 + Q5		 ____ / 4 Record 60 seconds of your workspace during your hardest hour and play it back. Then fix the biggest interruption and set aside one spot for focused work.
Body
Q3 + Q6 + Q7		 ____ / 6 Put movement on a timer or calendar so it needs no willpower. Check your lighting for glare at the time of day you work, and notice when your chair starts to hurt.
Nudges and Feedback
Q8 + Q9 + Q10		 ____ / 6 Move your phone out of arm's reach and write the next task where you can see it. After a week, change one thing based on what actually pulled you off track.
Skip the math: score it instantly
Same ten questions, scored for you, with your weakest pillar flagged.

🌺 Find Joy in Your World Today

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