A2X Consulting

There probably aren’t a lot of people who think of their office as a “home away from home”. When it comes to being productive at the work place, there may be some pros to that. After all, when you’re on the job, that’s not the time to lay out on your desk while checking out a movie on Hulu.com.

This doesn’t mean that your office environment has to be uncomfortable or not aesthetically pleasing, though. The truth is that the more you enjoy the look and feel of your work environment, the better you’ll feel and high spirits tend to boost creativity and productivity. If you’re wondering what you can do to make your office a more productive place, here are some quick and easy design tips:

Let There Be Light

Unfortunately, a lot of offices are lit very poorly. Overhead lighting, overtime, can cause real strain on the eyes. For so many reasons, natural lighting is best. Not only does it cut down on energy costs, but it is safer for the eyes and the extra rays on the body never hurt. If you’re not in a space where there are windows readily available, invest in a three-way lamp so that you can adjust the light to suit your personal needs based on the kind of work you’re doing and the time of day you’re doing it.

Keep Clutter to a Minimum

Most of us are familiar with the “cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind” statement, but when there are papers and file folders all over your desk, the greater threat is that it can cause you to feel extremely overwhelmed. A lot of things in your work space can actually provide the illusion that you have more to do than what may actually be the case. If it’s not a task that needs to be done today, then put it away for another time. You’ll feel a lot more relieved to see two projects on your desk rather than 10 and that can inspire you to get those two things done a lot quicker.

Stay Organized

Whether the way you do things makes sense to everyone in the office or it’s your own brand of “organized chaos”, do make the effort to create a system that works well for you. The amount of time that it takes to search for things alone, that can cut down on your productivity. Make sure that most of what you need is within arm’s length and that when it’s not, you know exactly who you need to ask or where you need to go. Spending ten minutes in a storage closet looking for a yellow highlighter is time you’ll never get back.

Decorate with Some Favorite Things

If your favorite color is blue, why not accessorize your office supplies with it? If you love fresh flowers, why not bring some in once a week? Did your kids recently draw you a picture? Frame it and put it up. Studies show that a warm and comforting environment sets the stage for a person to feel less stressed and that always lends to more productivity. Another challenge is that people who tend to do more daily routine work (data entry, transcribing, etc.), they have seasons when they feel like they are stuck in a rut. No one said that your office space has to stay decorated with a green lamp and mouse pad forever. When you find yourself feeling a little bored with your work, use that as an opportunity to redecorate your desk or cubicle. You might want to even speak with your supervisor or human resources advisor about upgrading some furniture or moving some office pieces around from time-to-time to give the room a different look. They may ask you “What is Ipe wood?” in response to your request for a new desk, but it doesn’t hurt to make the request. A change of scenery lends to a change in perspective too.

Post Up Motivational Information

A man by the name of Brian Tracy once said, “The more reasons you have for achieving your goal, the more determined you will become.” Jim Rohn was quoted as stating this: “Start from wherever you are and with whatever you’ve got.” A woman by the name of Caterina Fake had this to say about productivity: “Working on the right thing is probably more important than working hard.” Throughout the day, a little quote can certainly take you a long way. Whether you find a one that you like from a greeting card or an inspiring sentence online to print out and frame, a quick and inexpensive way to keep yourself encouraged is by finding motivational words. They’re oftentimes just the fuel that your brain needs to keep your body going.