Our work space and environment can significantly affect our productivity, mood, quality of work, motivation and surprisingly how we interact with others!  Read more for some recommendations on how to achieve functionality and a space that will inspire you to achieve your best everyday.  

dreamy colour palette via Pinterest

desk organiser via Etsy

Ergonomics
Let’s get the ‘less fun’ part of designing a functional work space out-of-the-way first.  Not as interesting as deciding where our mood board will go or what stationary we like, correct ergonomic set up is essential and should form the basis of your work space to ensure it is truly functional. Appropriate seating to maintain good posture (we like to alternate with a kneeling chair and also standing throughout the day), screen and keyboard distance, desk size and height should all be considered first up.  In modern work situations, a large majority of meetings and calls are done via video conference.  Invest in a quality set of headphones that are comfortable and have high sound quality levels to deliver meetings professionally.

Organisation
Once you have the foundations sorted, organising your desk should be next.  Personally, clean and clutter free are our top two here.  Basically follow the principle that whatever is kept on your desk is used everyday and everything has its place.  The rest can be neatly stored in drawers or on shelving so it is still easy to access but not filling up that precious desk real estate.  Ensure the planning and productivity tools that you use are from and centre (daily priorities list or planner, notepad).  Next, get those power cords and phone chargers in order, no messy tangled cords or hard to reach chargers here!

greenery inspo via Pinterest

Ambience
This includes sufficient lighting (incorporate some natural light if possible), a comfortable temperature (this can be out of your control in a corporate setting, make sure you have a blazer handy or scarf to throw on if the air-conditioning suddenly cools down) and in a home office setting a beautiful soy candle or diffuser adds a special touch.   Our favorite item to include is some greenery.  Indoor plants have been shown to reduce stress levels and improve mood and attention span.

Make it your own
This is particularly important for office spaces where you can’t necessarily control most of the other elements of your work space, but can add some elements of personalisation while still following what is appropriate and any company policies that may apply.  We do spend a lot of time at work, so creating an environment where you will want to spend your days productively is so important.  A home office has a lot more flexibility and can be styled to your heart’s content!  Choose your colour scheme and theme and decorate to encourage creativity and a space you will want to get things done in and not be distracted.

incorporate inspirational wall art to encourage creativity via Honeymoon Hotel Art

Pretty tip: stretch and move!
Last but not least, keep up those regular stretch breaks and moving throughout the day.

Are you more productive in an organised and clean work space?  Let us know in the comments!

TDP xo