Whether you work from home or commute to an office, your workspace should be one that you enjoy. No matter what you do for a living, studies have shown that the more inviting and comfortable your office is, the more productive you will be. And since the majority of us are spending 8+ hours per day in our workspaces, it stands to reason that these spaces deserve some thought and planning:
Design For Your Work Style
What inspires creativity within you? Soft lines, soothing colours, natural textures? Modern lines, sleek surfaces, bold colours? Figure out what inspires you and sparks your innovation. When you discover your style and incorporate it into your workspace, you’ll enjoy sitting down with your coffee and your kick-ass career goals.
Choose the Right Furniture
Before you invest in a new desk, consider the various ways you’ll use it. Are you primarily on a desktop computer? Do you prefer a laptop? Do you need a large surface to lay out a variety of paperwork? Think beyond the traditional desk. Also, the work surface you choose will dictate your seating options – but you can be creative here, too! Dining chairs, excercise balls – or even opting to forgo sitting altogether!
Light it Right
If you’re fortunate enough to have natural light in or near your workspace, take full advantage and keep window coverings to a minimum (think sheer fabrics for shades, blinds, and curtain panels). Often we can’t do much about overhead lighting in commercial spaces, but we can layer in specific task lighting. Floor and desk lamps or undercabinet lighting creates directional light that will keep all your projects well-lit.
Make it Easy to be Creative
Set yourself up to be successful. A little prep work can keep your creative energy flowing throughout the day. You can avoid distractions by keeping all your tools handy, whether that means sharpened pencils in a mason jar, or a fully charged bluetooth speaker.
Organize it!
Admit it – you knew this one was coming! Think beyond having a tidy desk though, and focus on creating a system that works for you. If your job relies on an abundance of paperwork, you’ll need an efficient filing system. This should include both short-term filing such as a desktop file holder, as well as long-term for documents you don’t need to access daily. If your job requires frequent meetings or travel, you’ll need to create a calendar system such as a larger wall calendar of electronic daytimer.
Gone are the days of boring offices and drab work environments (or, they should be IMO). With the amount of inexpensive accessories and functional yet fun work tools at our fingertips, the sky’s the limit! If you’re thinking you could use a bit more direction, shoot me an email with your office project deets – I’d love to help you up your productivity in a stylish new space!
Cheers to fun work environments!
đ¸Shawna