The energy you create in your workspace or office as a business owner can greatly impact stress, productivity and overall happiness for you and your employees. Did you know that the average person will spend more than 90,000 hours working over their entire lifetime? Given the pandemic, most people have transitioned to working from home. Regardless of where you are currently working from, it is still important to set the tone and create an environment where you can be the most efficient with minimal distractions and a calm aura.
Where should you begin? The following tips should help you develop better work habits to support overall happiness and less stress in the workplace.
Subtle expressions
Everyone has their own style and while you don’t want to go overboard, you can absolutely express some of your style and interest in your personal workspace. While too much clutter can distract, having a picture of loved ones, a soothing candle or maybe a few sentimental items on your desk are a few ideas of little things that can make brighten your day. As silly as this sounds, it really does help the space feel like your own and can really enhance a long workday.
Get organized
Most of you are probably working many hours on a computer desktop. Finding an organizational system that works for you will alleviate tons of unnecessary stress. Whether it’s filing important items or the flow and aesthetic of how your files are arranged on your computer, this can help you stay on track and not scramble to find important documents. The goal is to reduce stress. Taking a few minutes to rearrange some items can help your efficiency.
Color conscious
Another idea is to be mindful of the colors around you. Are you working in a dark or gray room that can feel depressing? Spruce it up! You don’t need to repaint your whole office, but you can add soothing blues and greens to promote a calm environment, or add red, orange and yellow if you are in a creative environment and need inspiration. Maybe add a plant or colorful flower. Get creative! These subtle things can actually boost your mood in the workplace.
Let there be light!
If you have a workspace with an abundance of natural light, take full advantage! Open the windows and let the light in to increase health, happiness and productivity. Even if you don’t have windows in your office, you can create some light to create a similar effect and happy environment, especially during dreary or cold winter months.
Optimal Temperature
Experts have reported that optimal peak productivity usually occurs at about 71 degrees Fahrenheit in the office… As odd or interesting as this may sound, temperature can absolutely affect productivity in the workplace. Just as sleeping in temperatures around 65 degrees is considered to give you the best night’s sleep, it’s the same as your work environment. Though everyone may not agree on the same temperature, figure out the most comfortable and productive option for you and your team.
Noise Distractions
Investing in a pair of noise-canceling headphones may be a great option for you to stay in peak concentration and limit distractions throughout the day. It is easy to get thrown off task from dozens of different sounds and activities around you. Headphones may be the hero you never knew you needed.
Change Scenery
Get creative with mixing up the location of where you take calls or what you do during breaks. Get up and walk around – try stepping outside or finding a spot where you can move around. This actually helps you be more productive to stand up in hourly intervals and is overall beneficial for your mind and body to not stay stagnant or glued to your desk chair from 9 to 5.
IMPLEMENT
Take some of these tips and try them out to help create a workspace that will help you be the most efficient and productive, while energizing your mind and spirit when the days get long.