Your depressing workspace is impacting your productivity, according to experts like Suzanne Carlson, a principal of interior design at the architecture firm NBBJ. The good news is that even if the boss doesn’t feel like making a change, you can improve your office with a few small changes.
(Photo Credit: Office Now/Flickr)
“Cognitive focus can really be enhanced and supported by a physical environment,” Carlson tells The Huffington Post. “The physical setup of the space has quantitative beneficial effects.”
In other words, today’s typical workspace — small, noisy, crowded, with limited access to light and privacy — is the opposite of what it should be, if it were planned with our job performance in mind. Of course, stimulating workers’ creativity is pretty far down the list for many of the stakeholders who secure and arrange office space; it generally comes after items like “reducing overhead,” and “finding a location that’s convenient for public transit.”
Still, if you’re helping choose an office space — or even just arranging your own little corner of the work world to maximize productivity — there are a few things you should keep in mind:
1. Block the noise.
Actual barriers are best, of course, but if you can’t put up a wall, headphones are your friend.
2. Kill the fluorescent lights.
Fluorescents are worse than depressing; they might actually be impacting your work performance. If you can’t convince the boss to move you closer to a window, ask if you can turn off the overheads and use a desk lamp or two instead. And get outside for a few minutes of real sunlight whenever you can.
3. Make it look like home.
“Those sleek and minimalist offices look great in glossy magazine spreads, but adding a few personal touches to your space can help boost productivity,” writes Kentin Waits at Wisebread. “It’s all about comfort. Think about it: If you have to spend 8-10 hours in a space, then photos, artwork, plants, and other items can help you feel more relaxed and, in a tangible way, connect your work with other parts of your life.”
Find more tips in the infographic, below:
(Infographic Credit: The Huffington Post)
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