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Work environment has a profound impact on our mood, motivation, and efficiency. This is true for small home offices and large corporate premises too. Believe it or not, according to recent studies, a good workplace design boosts productivity by 20%. Alas, despite a growing body of evidence, many business owners are still reluctant to invest in better offices. So, what can you do? Well, there is probably no need to leave your current position or spend a fortune on a state-of-the-art home office. There are many neat and inexpensive tricks to set the stage for dazzling business success.
Workstation fine-tuning
Speaking of which, your next focus should be your table and chair. If you feel like you are constantly stretching, adjusting and moving, you do not have them properly fitted. What you need to do is perform ergonomic checks. Namely, your feet are ideally sitting comfortably on a footrest or resting on the floor. Secondly, your eyes should be 24-36 inches from the screen and the top of the monitor at eye-level. Finally, note that a reclined chair posture is best in terms of alleviating pressure on the spine. In case you spot issues, ask for an adjustable chair, add pillows for your lower back, consider leg raisers or alter the height of the computer screen.
Let there be light
Lighting is one of the most important, but also an often-overlooked factor of office design. While good lighting improves focus and creativity, poor one induces eyestrain, fatigue, mood swings, irritability, and headaches. So, first off, try to maximize the amount of natural light. Instead of thick curtains that block the rejuvenating flood of sunlight, use solutions like easily adjustable vertical blinds. Make good use of artificial lighting as well, preferably by buying natural light bulbs. It is also recommended to use a variety of sources like lamps to illuminate your workstation, especially when gloomy and dark conditions prevail.
Declare war on clutter
Next, it is time to deal with office clutter, the bane of productivity. This menace stems from lack of organization and impedes your ability to stay focused and concentrated. So, turn a new leaf. Take a good look around you and start the purge of your immediate surroundings. Identify anything that does not serve a purpose other than getting in your way. See what makes the most sense: to put things away, organize, file, or toss them. If you spend 5 minutes each day doing this, you will spare yourself many headaches down the road. Those who work in home offices should also invest extra time and effort to clean the space.
United colors of productivity
Once that is sorted out, turn your attention to the visual side of things. The colors around you need to be much more than an afterthought, as they affect your mood and brain function, prompting responses of both physical and emotional nature. Yes, color psychology is real and all around you. Blue, for instance, is associated with higher productivity and creativity, so see if you can bring some items from home that make you feel more inspired. Just bear in mind that too much visual noise achieves a counter-effect. Also, you might want to steer away from overly bright tones that tend to overwhelm and distract.
Have a fresh start
For better or worse, where you work shapes how you work. Modern offices are supposed to be impeccable zones of productivity, but that is often not the case. The good news is that if you work from a home office, you have more freedom to tailor your environment to your needs. Then again, it might be possible to personalize corporate work areas with your boss’ permission. In any event, make positive changes where you can. Even when they seem small and immaterial, they tend to quickly add up. You should be able to get more things done every day and charge towards your goals in 2018 and beyond.
