Long before the concept of “set up” existed to call the area where we have our desk and work, Steve Jobs already had certain particularities about it. In turn, Bill Gates and later Elon Musk agreed on a point on how to organize their workspace.
This was Steve Jobs’ office in his own home
Steve Jobs worked in many different places, and throughout his life he went from founding Apple in the garage of his house, to being the main investor in Pixar and creating the company NeXT before returning to Apple to refloat it. During all these years, Steve Jobs had a common thread on his desks that also resembles that of many geniuses: Clutter. Yes, the promoter of minimalism in technology had his desk and office full of things.
This is one of the last photographs we have of Steve Jobs in his own office at home. Specifically, it is from 2004 and retains that spirit of a garage with brick walls. In the photo, Steve Jobs is seen in his work environment, leaning towards what could be a mythical Apple Cinema Display.
The desk is filled with stacks of papers, books, and folders, reflecting well the intense creative and entrepreneurial activity he was carrying. In the background, a large shelf full of books. Steve Jobs was a great lover of culture and there were many books that marked him to be the person he was. Then, we can see many other elements such as a video camera, a large metal briefcase… who knows if there was a prototype of the iPhone inside. This photo was taken a couple of years before the release of the original iPhone. Yes, it wasn’t the tidiest office in the world, although it surely had everything I needed there.
This is what Steve Jobs’ office and desk looks like from the other side. The wicker bin under his desk is very striking, where he surely discarded many of his ideas to reach that level of demand that characterized him so much. From this point of view, a larger and more diaphanous space can be observed.
The office of Bill Gates, the other computer genius
Bill Gates is another of the most important personalities in the world of computing. Founder of Microsoft, he can be proud of having created one of the most important companies in the world. Both in his first offices and in the ones he has now, there is one element in common: many books.
And although he is somewhat tidier than Steve Jobs, he is completely surrounded by books and a computer from the time. Of course, the difference in the environment is evident. Much more serious with dark wood paneling and walls free of elements except for a framed photo. Without a doubt, an office more in line with what is usually in mind when thinking of a company’s manager. And that’s why Steve Jobs was so special.
Elon Musk has as many desks as companies
Elon Musk is one of the most influential people in recent times. Recently for his company SpaceX, a few months ago for buying Twitter, getting the electric car business to boost with Tesla, founding OpenAI, PayPal… All this has given rise to many desks throughout his life. In fact, one of Musk’s greatest curiosities is that he does not have a fixed office or desk. He moves through all his companies and simply sits at the first empty desk he finds.
If we had to get a statistic of where he is the longest, then it is at the SpaceX facility in Boca Chica (Texas). There he does have an office to have meetings that have arisen without planning. In it, its U-shape stands out, and of course, models of rockets and books.
What we can learn from these three geniuses
If there is one common element that we can take away from these three people, it is that they have been surrounded by books at all times. Even they, who could be said to “know everything” having come so far, continue reading to continue their learning and acculturation. So yes, including books in your workplace can help you perform better and learn new skills that take you a step further in your work.
After that, the workplace is still a reflection of what each person is like. Right now many of us are dedicated to “copying” workspaces that we see on Instagram or other content creators, without adapting it to ourselves. Look at Steve Jobs, he didn’t have a minimalist office at all. Elon Musk barely has a fixed office. And yes, Bill Gates is the one with the most traditional office, which indicates that no matter what you are, you can go far like them. The important thing is to feel comfortable so that you can develop all your creativity in an environment that makes you happy. After all, it is probably the room where you will spend the most time of your life.
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