Wether you work from home or in a traditional office environment there some easy steps you can take to create a more productive workspace. I’ve been working on decluttering our home office and it’s certainly improved my productivity, not to mention my mindset. Simple improvements to our environment can make a big difference. The addition of a plant, natural light and a tidy space can be so beneficial to our wellbeing, creativity and productivity. I thought I’d share a few simple steps to consider. If you work alone or as part of a team, here are eight ways to create a more productive workspace.
Declutter
Small businesses can outgrow their workspaces quite quickly. This results in mess around the office in the form of equipment, supplies, documents, and more. It’s important that you do your best to keep this clutter to a minimum and maintain clean and green facilities. Start by getting rid of anything that the business no longer needs and hiring a professional cleaner. When this includes private documents, you must remember to shred them. If you need to, you should put any mess leftover into storage so that you can organise the office better. If you have a home office try to sort everything into boxes, files and organise on shelves- the effort will be worth it!
Look For Natural Light
A poorly lit room makes it incredibly difficult to focus. Because you can’t see your work properly, you have to strain your eyes, which can cause headaches and sometimes damage your sight. For this reason, you should ensure that your office space is well lit. Artificial lighting can do the job, but natural lighting is the better option. This is because it improves your mood, which makes you work harder.
Bring In Office Plants
Offices can often feel like very cold and clinical places. Even when you work from home, the space you use for this is usually quite plain. Adding a touch of nature, therefore, can do your office a world of good. Plants also have many other benefits to offer, including better mood and reduced stress. They also promote healthier air, as they increase oxygen and remove carbon dioxide. This will leave you feeling energised and ready to work.
Create A Quiet Zone
Open plan workspaces make collaboration easy, which, in many cases, heightens productivity. However, in certain circumstances, you’ll find it easier to get work done when you have a quiet space to yourself. With that in mind, you may want to invest in double glazed office partitions. These allow you to divide your office space effectively, creating private work zones for individuals to work quietly. If you have the space, you could create entire private work rooms instead.
Pick The Right Colour
Colour has much more of an effect on the body and mind than most people realise. While some tones stimulate the body and mind, thus increasing productivity, others relax them, which does the opposite. For this reason, you need to pick the colours in your office wisely. Green and blue are particularly productive colours, as they clear thoughts and stimulate productivity. When you have no control over the colour of the space, choosing coloured office accessories works well.
Opt For Ergonomic Furniture
When you’re not comfortable, it naturally makes you less productive, as all that you can focus on is how uncomfortable you are, rather than the work in front of you. Because of this, you must ensure that you invest in ergonomic furniture for your office space. You may not be able to pay thousands for desks and chairs for each of your team members, but you should look into options that are designed for health and comfort. There are lots of great office furniture suppliers like Office Monster who have lots of configurations to choose from.
Turn The Thermostat Down
The perfect temperature for an office space simply doesn’t exist. After all, everyone’s bodies are different, so while some of your staff will prefer a cooler room, others will want a warmer one. This is why it helps to think like Goldilocks. Instead of opting for either end of the spectrum, you should aim for a temperature that is just right and set your thermostat somewhere in the middle. Allowing a flexible dress code means that staff can put on and take off layers when necessary.
Healthy Snacks
A rumbling tummy is distracting at the best of times, but, in an office environment, it can be embarrassing too. Having an assortment of healthy snacks on hand will help to avoid any dips in your blood sugar levels, keep your mind on the job and help avoid “hanger”. Opt for fruit, healthy snack bars and maybe try out some new healthy recipes too.
‘If you believe in yourself and have dedication and pride – and never quit, you’ll be a winner. The price of victory is high but so are the rewards’ – Bear Bryant
Stay fabulous
Christine
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