The physical space where you conduct your business or day-to-day tasks plays a major role in your productivity at work. How do you make it conducive to your job and your team?
Whether you work in the comforts of your home or you work with your colleagues in your company’s office space or you share working space with others, it is important that you take into consideration the overall environment of your work area and how it contributes to your efficiency. We’ve put together some pointers that you might want to consider to make your space more conducive for work.
Have good lighting
Good lighting is important in your work because it can increase your productivity, reduce the incidence of errors or mistakes and provide a more pleasant environment in your job. On the other hand, poor lighting can cause eye strain, headaches, stress, and even mishaps. As much as possible, have adequate lighting in the area where you are working. Check your bulbs if they are bright enough or see if your desk provides you access to the sun. Take the cue from Mark Calabro, Co-Founder of HungryHungry, who prefers that his workspace has “natural light and near the windows”.
Keep things clean and organised
John Anderton, Founder and CEO of Butterfly, keeps his space clean and organised at all times. When items in your work area are neat and in order, it is easier for you to find whatever you need on your desk. It provides you with more leeway to do the different tasks you need to do, where you can scribble, spread documents you need to read and other things needed for your job. It also allows you to focus better, lowers stress levels that may be caused by a cluttered workplace, and other psychological benefits. Whilst there are some who thrive in disarray, it is better to put your things in the right place, where it is free from dust, microbes and bacteria.
Allow the space to fit your corporate culture
How do you make your office space fit into your corporate culture? Anthony Holdstock, Director and Owner of Sharp & Carter, shares, “We make our office space conducive for connection. We want our people to connect, to love working with each other. It probably isn’t the best for productivity but it is for culture, and culture keeps people, and keeping people is a win for customers and long-term profitability and growth.”
Get away from distractions
If your workflow is hindered by noise, movement, clutter, or something else, it is best that you find a spot where you can minimise or be free from these diversions. Mark Calabro’s tip for this is to “try and always sit away from others to avoid distractions.” You can position your work area far from where people converge or you can use a meeting room if you’re doing something urgent or have an important call, especially nowadays when most meetings are done online. If you are easily disturbed by sudden text messages or emails, you can mute them or assign a time to respond to them.
Make the tools and things you need handy and available
Always check if your various office equipment are all working or if you have stocks of your office materials. It can cause you so much stress when the time comes that you need them and they’re not functioning or available. Also, make an audit of your office equipment if they have to be upgraded or if they are regularly needed in your business. Sometimes, you don’t have to do everything in-house and you can have some tasks be done by a supplier or a third-party agency.
Once you identify those that are must-haves in your workplace, keep things you need more frequently within reach. John Anderton makes his space conducive for work by “having access to good coffee, keeping everything in working order and outsourcing all the boring tasks.”
Personalise it and make it more alive
It is good to put something that can inspire you to do your work better and more efficient. It can be a photo of your family and loved ones, a picture of your dream destination, a favourite quote, an artwork you love or something that will make you smile and bring you energy. Place a plant nearby. Decorate your desk. Create that space into something you’d like to walk into every day. But don’t overdo it, otherwise, having too many things can become distractions. You still have to be conscious of the space allocated for work.
How about you, how do you make your space conducive for work? Share with us your tips in our comments section below.