One of the best ways to stay motivated to work can be to improve your workspace. In fact, you can make it look nice, even if you work in a traditional office. Whether you work from home or in an office away from home, these tips can help you stay productive and positive at work.
Put Personal Items on Your Desk
Having personal items around you can be a great reminder of what makes you happy. This can also keep you motivated and boost your productivity. You can place framed photos of loved ones or even pets such as a dog on your desk. This way, each time you glance up, you can feel comforted by the thought of them. You can also put anything else on your desk that boosts your mood. Examples include a cute stuffed toy, a fun-shaped stress ball, or a LEGO plant. These creative items can distract you from your problems and help you be carefree for a few minutes.
Hang Up Some Artwork
Looking at art can increase self-esteem, boost memory, and improve critical thinking. Besides this, art can be very healing if you have depression, anxiety, or other issues. You may be able to hang artwork in a cubicle if this follows the rules of your place of business. If you work from home, you can have more freedom of self-expression. In particular, you can hang art anywhere you like. A serene landscape painting can have a calming effect on your mindset. Or you can be bold by choosing brightly colored artwork.
Add a Bit of Nature
Natural decor can make it easier to relax while you work. For one thing, if you lack a green thumb, you can add low-maintenance plants like Lucky Bamboo, Bunny Ear Cactus, or Chinese Evergreen to your work environment. An alternative to plants is to choose wallpaper with nature-inspired designs such as leaves or flowers on it. You can also use a wooden desk or use items such as a wooden pencil holder.
Have Something to Do
For your breaks, you might need or want something to keep you occupied. To prevent boredom, you can keep a book you want to read nearby or have a sketchpad and pencil ready so you can doodle or draw your surroundings. A journal or adult coloring book can also make your breaks enjoyable. Another idea is to bring a board game so you and your coworkers can play. Or you can play a solo card game such as Classic Solitaire or Memory.
Get Up and Move Around
Sitting for too long in a chair working can be harmful to your health. Instead, it’s important to move regularly. This can help you think more clearly so you can focus better when you start working again. For one, you can use a yoga mat to do basic yoga poses. If you don’t like yoga, you can stand up and do simple stretches. You can also do office exercises, some of which are squats, desk pushups, and desk donkey kicks. Or you can go for a walk outside with a coworker or by yourself.
Turn On Music You Like
You can turn on upbeat music for motivation and to prevent boredom or you can gain peace of mind with calming music or nature sounds. Turning on music can be a good way to forget about your problems for a while. With music on, it can be more difficult to be negative or unhappy. If upbeat music is too distracting, you can try soothing classical music to improve your mood and boost brain health.
Paint the Walls Your Favorite Color
If you work from home, you can paint your walls your favorite color. According to color psychology, different colors can positively affect your mood. While green may enhance calmness, orange can encourage success. If you work away from home, you can bring something with you that’s made in a color you like. This could mean wearing a jacket in your favorite color or placing a colorful item on your desk that’s personal to you.
Keep Your Space Organized
Having trash or excessive items on your desk or around your workspace can make it challenging to think clearly. This makes it vital to take extra time weekly or monthly to clean up and organize. You can keep a recycle bin around for paper items. Moreover, you can organize your desk so you can easily grab pens or documents you need when necessary. Desk organization accessories include things like fasteners for organizing cables, binder clips, and paper planners.
Work From Home if Necessary
Working in an office in the city can have a negative effect on some peoples’ mindsets. For example, you may be distracted by sounds of traffic or maybe being near people too often makes it hard to think. If this is a problem for you, then working from home could be better for your overall health and well-being. You can find a remote job or ask your boss if there’s any way you can work from home. Social media manager, freelance writer, and web designer, are part of a long list of work from home jobs you might want to try.
Let Natural Light In
Having natural light in your office environment can promote healthy living. You may experience fewer headaches, improved mood, reduced eye strain, and enhanced productivity with natural light coming in from a window. This gives you a chance to look outside and appreciate nature. If you have a window that opens, you can let fresh air into the room. If you don’t have a window, you can try a natural light lamp to help improve your health.
Given these points, working at home or away from home in a regular office can be a truly pleasant experience. If you’re on a budget, you can find aesthetically pleasing decor online or near where you live. Be sure to ask your boss beforehand what’s considered acceptable decor for your work environment.