This is the famous design principle of the vaunted Roman military engineer and architect, Vitruvius. It translates to strength, utility, and beauty which for him, should be the three fundamentals of good design.
Professionals spend most of their time in their offices. An office is a place for work – that you all know. Frankly speaking, you are also aware that it can be a place of stress, pressure, and tension too. That is if you allow it to be.
Why do you need to get bothered if you can actually deal with it? Did you know that good design squeezes creativity and boosts productivity? Maybe that’s the first thing you need to work on in order to produce the best output the quickest way possible.
Don’t know where to start? We’ve got your back! Here are 10 helpful tips:
- Prioritize proper lighting.
Source: The Future Kept
If your workspace is near a window, that’s great. Let the natural light in. It is a secret ingredient that increases work productivity by 20%. Poor lighting causes eyestrain, discomfort, and other health hazards. This restrains an employee from being proactive at work.
On the other hand, if you don’t have quick access to an opening, you can resort to task lighting. It helps you gain more focus on what you’re doing. Tasks that need accuracy and complete attention to detail are done easily with an increased, right level of illuminance.
- Apply ergonomics principles in setting up your workstation.
Source: Unsplash
Your table and chair is an essential pair that you need to perform your job. For a more functional and pleasant work process, you will need materials that best fit your body and posture.
Ergonomics is the science of designing taking into account human factors. Its main purpose is to eliminate discomfort, muscle fatigue, stress, and other risks due to work. To avoid ergonomic hazards, make sure that the dimensions of your table and chair are right for your body size. The top of your computer monitor should be below or at eye-level. You can use a laptop riser for a more comfortable position and safe while working.
- Encourage movement by slight dispersion of things.
Source: Office Snapshots
You wouldn’t want to sit all day, do you? From time to time, you will need to move around and just shake it off. Breathe in the fresh air. Walk with your feet.
To maintain efficiency while in motion, try to place some of the essential things you will also need at a distance from your table. The photocopy machine, the magazine stand, some tools, etc. Or you can simply transfer to other spots like the sofa or the pantry to spur new ideas.
- Keep the temperature at a comfortable level.
Source: Unsplash
Research says that as temperature rises, productivity descends. At the same time, if the temperature lowers, the employees will have a difficult time to focus because of the shivering cold. It is important that you set the thermostats and air conditioners to a degree that is tolerable and relaxing for you.
- Post productivity board.
Source: A Bowl Full of Lemons
Are you the type who wants to track work progress and tick off checklists? If yes, then you know very well how ideal it is to post a productivity board at your workspace. If you haven’t tried doing this, then you should try!
As you aim to work on your full capacity, you must learn how to work systematically as well. Be organized! With the help of a task board or productivity board, you will be able to monitor the progress of your duties. This will allow you to discover how much time you spend for a specific task, or what work habits can be developed to accelerate growth and accomplishment.
- Pick the right color.
Source: Emily Peterson Studio
Colors produce an effect on the human mind and mood. Studies show that blue is an intellectual color. Yellow is said to stir up creativity. Green calms the mind.
While there are a lot of colors, you can pick the one that induces a positive effect on you when it comes to working. Paint the walls, or bring in items of the same color that will free your mind and inspire you to finish your tasks.
- Be one with nature.
Source: Office Snapshots
Arranging plants on your area or placing a few on your table are proven to enhance cognitive function. They actually heighten employee productivity and satisfaction by 15 percent. Office plants also reduce stress and anxiety.
- Add some fragrance.
Source: Contemporist
Aromatherapy is one of the best ways to achieve maximum work progress. Scents are linked to memory and emotion. When your office space smells pleasant, you are automatically influenced to be in a good mood and in a state ready to hustle.
The scent of jasmine re-energizes and stimulates the nervous system. Citrus makes your response time faster. While Peppermint makes you alert and prompts memory accuracy.
- Declutter
Source: The Turquoise Home
Decluttering is like treasure hunting. There are a lot of ways that it can benefit you. When cleaning, you will figure out that a large percent of your things, you no longer use. Meanwhile, you might find precious stuff that will be very helpful for you (you just don’t use it because of your clutter).
Your art professor in college was right when he told you that creativity outpours when you clean your environment. Do it and you’ll generate better concepts.
- Reduce noise.
Source: Cubicle Bliss
Noise is known to disrupt momentum. It can be very distracting, disabling you to keep your focus. Make sure that your office space is free of cacophony or excessive noise. We all know that it is quite inevitable in the workplace, but the good news is, it can be controlled.
Conclusion
Bonus tip: maintain good circulation within your area. More air and space equate to performance enhancement and healthy workers. It’s okay – be very personal with your office space design. You should prioritize your own comfort, wellness, and productivity. You deserve to have home-like kind of workplace, not the kind that you always run from. As long as it’s of good use, it’s firm and it’s aesthetically pleasing, it’s good design.
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