I’m a big fan of working from home. I always find it more efficient to trade in my 40-minute commute for a two second walk into my home office to get started on my work early.
Unfortunately, these days, it seems like everyone doesn’t have much of a choice. Although most of us have been mandated to stay indoors, it doesn’t have to come at the cost of risking productivity or creativity.
Having worked in some of the most creative marketing environments and setting up shop to run my boutique marketing agency in-house, I discovered the tremendous benefits of simple “office” design.
Here’s 5 easy hacks you can implement today to enhance your productivity and reduce that annoying back pain.
1. Let there be light!
Proper office lighting is one of the most important things to consider when improving your work space setting. Research by John Flynn, at Kent State University detail that within a home or working space, light is not only able to induce specific emotional states, but also activate specific cognitive skills. Studies show that by optimizing the amount of light, especially natural light, in office settings can lead to increased productivity.
2. Don’t be the only living thing
Numerous studies have shown the positive effects of having more plants in your work space. According to Public Health Reports, as workday nature contact increased, perceived stress decreased. It reports that while working, nature contact may be achieved by adding an indoor office plant or taking a work break outdoors. Adding greenery to your office, not only will increase productivity, but improve creativity; allowing you to feel more relaxed and more equipped to concentrate.
3. Unplug
While your office space or remote setting may not be able to accommodate table tennis or fooseball, scheduling time to unplug in other ways (beyond social media) gives you the opportunity to recharge and think clearly. Downloading meditation apps such as the Calm App, can help improve concentration and sustain attention.
4. Add inspirational messaging
There’s a power in words. Reading inspirational notes can add a level of empowerment and implicit coaching needed to overcome work challenges. By adding inspirational messages to your office design or work space, will enable you to make better decisions, thus increasing productivity.
5. Know your colors
Coloring is a big factor in how effective a space is for fostering creative thought. Though many consider coloring to be subjective, studies have shown much correlation between color and emotion. According to research, blue colors affect your mind while yellow effect you emotions. By understanding the affects of color interpretation, you can design your work space to achieve maximum productivity and creativity.