If you sometimes struggle to concentrate at work, or feel that your office is preventing you from being as productive as you can be, here are some handy tips to help transform your place of work into a more tranquil, pleasant and ultimately productive space.
According to a recent study, Only 53% of UK and Ireland workers believe that their workplace enables them to work productively. Businesses that design their workspace around the needs of their staff could improve their productivity by as much as 3.5%.
So, perhaps It’s time to bring some Zen into your office environment with these simple and effective tips…
Keep your desk clear
The first step to office Zen is to de-clutter your desk. Remove the unnecessary items and organise the essentials. Tie back cables or hide them in desk channels. Have a place for everything and keep everything in its place.
Your desk is the only domain within the office that you have absolute control over. By creating harmony in your own space, it provides an island of tranquillity and a base from which to influence the rest of the office. When your colleagues see how chilled and Zen-like you are, they may follow suit.
Let there be (natural) light
Everyone prefers being bathed in natural light. It brings out the best in everyone, as well as improving health and sleep patterns, which in turn leads to more focus and concentration in the office.
So, if you’re fortunate enough to sit by the windows, open those blinds and let the Zen flood in. You can also make use of mirrors on strategic areas of the walls to continue the flow of natural light around the room.
(be mindful of glare on computer screens which can lead to eye strain, and don’t blind your colleagues with direct sunlight).
Introduce plants to the office
Bringing some nature into the office will not only improve the appearance, but also introduce oxygen into the room, studies have shown that plants in the office improve the memory retention of employees and can increase productivity by 15 per cent.
If you really want to add complete natural Zen to the office then you can add more leafy plant greenery by going vertical and planting a complete living wall in the office.
Get creative, hang some artwork
Even though they might not realise it, people’s performance and mood is directly affected by their environment: temperature, light and colour.
Adding a dash of colour to the office with bright and colourful artwork is a great way to improve the whole mood of your office. Low wavelength colours such as greens and blues can improve office efficiency and drive employee focus.
So get creative and see if you can add some colourful canvasses to Zen up your office.
Install a water feature in the lobby
You might not want to sit and listen to running water all day, but in communal areas, the soothing sound of water can be relaxing and brings peace. Introduce those Zen qualities to your office by installing a water feature that will bring tranquillity to everyone it reaches.
When workers are relaxed, their productivity increases – and the sound of flowing water is an ideal way to achieve that.
Please let us know if you have any other ideas on how to make an office more pleasant and productive.
