How to decorate your offce for maximum productivity

2020 has been a year full of surprises, a year that has seen many of us forced to work from home due to the COVID 19 pandemic. That might have been unexpected, but even more so was the fact that many companies saw an increase in their employee's productivity while working from home. It soon became evident to many that our surroundings can have a major impact on our work output. It might be difficult to imagine, but small details in the space surrounding us can affect our ability to focus, our creativity, and as a result, our productivity levels. Knowing how to decorate your office to maximize productivity can take you one step closer to ensuring your business stays profitable in these challenging times. It will help you work more efficiently, which means that you will spend more time enjoying the finer things in life.

Setting up your home office

With no way to tell exactly what the future holds in terms of the pandemic, there is a large possibility you have either already started working from home or that you will be required to do so soon. This will most likely require that you set up a home office or move many of your work items from your current office to your home. It is essential to avoid disruptions as much as possible when doing so to ensure you don't forget any important items. And the organization of your office is vital for your productivity.

Get back to basics

Before you delve into the fine details of your office, deal with the basics first. Make sure you have enough space and light to complete the basic tasks you face every day and that you are comfortable doing them.

Let the sunshine in

Lighting is one of the most important things to consider when thinking about your office or workspace. If your office lacks sufficient light, your eyes will strain, and as a result, you will tire and lose focus more quickly. This is why you must ensure enough light in your office. Natural light is the best option, so if you have enough windows, don't cover them with dark, opaque curtains or blinds. Let the sunshine in as it will not only provide the needed lighting but raise your energy levels as well.

Even though you might have adequate natural lighting on clear, sunny days, you are going to need some additional lighting for those cloudy days. Position a few floor lamps or desktop lamps to make sure you never work without enough light.

Organize and de-clutter

Most of us are taught from a young age to keep our rooms tidy. There is a reason for this. Clean and tidy surroundings lead to a healthier and less stressful lifestyle. The same rules apply to your working space. Make sure your office has enough shelving and storage space to enable you to keep your desktop clutter-free. Small gadgets and other items may help inspire creative minds but they also distract most of the others.

It is important that your office feels spacious, even if it isn't that big. We often have to work from relatively small offices, but that doesn't mean they have to feel small. There are several tricks, such as using mirrors to make rooms appear larger, that you can use to achieve the feeling of spaciousness.

Organize your office in such a way that allows you easy access to things you use most often while minimizing the distractions present. This will allow you to focus solely on the tasks at hand and will increase your overall productivity.

Get comfortable, but not too comfortable

If you spend a large portion of your day sitting at a desk and staring at a computer screen, you are most probably all too familiar with how much your chair can influence your posture and, as a result, be the cause of back or neck pain.

You might not be familiar with the term ergonomic but now is the time to familiarize yourself with it. The purpose of ergonomic furniture is to be both functional and comfortable while aiming to reduce the risk and problems associated with joints, back and neck pain. That’s putting it simply, but you get the point. Your comfort will affect your productivity, so make sure you invest in good-quality, ergonomic furniture. Don't get too comfortable though, working in a slouched position or lying down is unlikely to increase your output unless, of course, your output is sleep.

Add some color

The color of our surroundings is known to influence our mood and focus. Feel free to add some color to your office but don't overdo it. Too much and you might find it difficult to concentrate. Consider the colors you wish to add carefully. Different colors affect us in various ways and this is something you should keep in mind.

• Blue is known to be calming and it can help us focus. At the same time, it can also evoke a feeling of depression.
• Red is the color of passion. It is associated with an increase in our heart rate and blood flow. Also, it can evoke emotions which can affect our objectivity.
• Yellow is a happy and wholesome color that can increase creativity.
• Green can have a calming effect on people. At the same time, green does not cause too much stress on the eyes or eye fatigue.

Whichever color suits your wants and needs, do some research on how to paint your office before you actually do it. Keep in mind that paintwork should be done properly.

Add a touch of nature

Studies have shown that having a few plants on your desk in your office helps increase your concentration and productivity. If there ever was a simple way to increase productivity, this is it. Decorate your office with a few plants scattered around. It will make it a more pleasant place to spend time in. It will also provide clean air in your office and increase productivity.

Adding a touch of nature doesn't refer only to adding plants, though. Try to use natural materials as much as possible in your office as it will help to keep you relaxed. You can do some research on how to choose flooring, too. Consider using wood or other natural flooring materials.

Keep things professional

To get the best out of your office and increase productivity, you will need to balance the comforts you require and professional surroundings. Don't get carried away by focusing on comfort so much that you turn your office space into an unprofessional working environment. The beauty of the tips given above is in their simplicity. You can apply all of the tips to decorate your office either at home or at the company. They will help you stay motivated, effective and productive for prolonged periods and simultaneously help you deal with daily pressures.