According to the Work Environments Research Group (GRET) at the Universite du Montreal, comfort-inducing workspaces provide:
- Physical comfort – “safe space” – proper lighting, air ventilation/circulation, and temperature (all up to health standards of course)
- Functional comfort – “workable space” – privacy, space to work, reduced noise levels, technology
- Psychological comfort – “my space” – personalization, sense of belonging, empowerment/ownership of space, sense of longevity
A mistake I made in my previous role was not spending enough time early on in making my workspace both functional and comfortable. Knowing that, I spent some time this week focusing on making my new office a great environment for me to work/create/plan/dream in. I drew up a plan for my new space and also got suggestions from other people as to what makes their workspaces great. (A functional workspace should also be welcoming and comfortable for those you work with in that space.)
And voila! My new (not yet finished) office space. Nothing remarkable at first glance, but littered with little details to make me enjoy my time there.
Highlights include:
- A whiteboard to draw up big ideas / mind maps / project plans
- A corkboard to showcase gratitude cards and fun clippings my colleagues have given me
- Reusable water bottle – perfect for at the desk or on the go
- Awards and motivational quotes – ya gotta remind yourself to keep at it when times get tough!
- Some greenery to bring in some fresh new O2 for the brain (eer… got to work on getting more of that.)
- Great books within reach so I can pull them down when I need to grab a good quote, reference, etc
- Dual monitors – the other one is one its way!
- A fish! Some people say a candy bowl is inviting, but my finned-friend seems to be quite the attention grabber as well
All I need are some framed pictures of family and friends and then it will be complete!
Spend some time today making your workspace clutter-free and personality-full. Your motivation and productivity will be sure to sky rocket!
Pick of the post: Five for Fighting – Chances (music video)
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