Whether you’re creating a long-term home office space, or just somewhere you can come home to in the evenings and finish off your paperwork, the energy of your workspace can have profound impacts on your productivity and mood. This can therefore also affect those who are visiting your office, either in person or remotely, so it’s important to remember that the tone you set can often be felt more widely than just by yourself. Here are our top suggestions for creating an office space that’s calming and productive to make the most of the time you spend working at home.
Calming Colors
From the color of your walls, to the accent colors around the room, the shades and tones you select can play an important role in affecting your mood. If you have the ability to change the color of your walls, the APA suggests opting for a muted, soothing color like sage green or a dusty blue to invoke a feeling of calm and relaxation. Also, add in some wood-tones, ideally with a natural grain, but ensure that the room has no more than 45% wood surfaces or you risk losing the stress-reducing effects.
When choosing color tones, favor those on the cooler end of the spectrum, like blues and purples, versus yellows and yellow-greens, as they’ve been found to be more ‘pleasant’ hues.
Install Healthy Distractions
Having a fishtank in your office may not be the most original idea, and in some cases it may be impractical, however some research has shown that aquariums, whether at home or in public, can have a positive effect on things like mood and pain. So, if you can handle the responsibility of caring for Nemo and his friends, bringing some aquatic life into your office may be just what you need to calm your busy mind, or to provide a healthy distraction for clients or patients as they process their thoughts.
Choose the Right Soundtrack
A great piece of music can impact your mood and change the way you go about your task at hand, so choose your office soundtrack wisely. This can often change depending on the task you’re tackling; maybe something upbeat and high-energy will work best for you as you press through some otherwise mundane filing, or binaural beats can help get you in the zone and really dive into a complex activity.
If you’re the type of person who gets easily distracted when listening to music, consider instrumental music instead. This doesn’t have to be classical tunes, if you’re not a big fan of the genre – consider listening to the music scores of your favorite TV shows or movies so you have familiarity with the songs without the distraction of the lyrics.
As you evaluate the look and feel of your home office, and determine whether it’s conveying the tone that will allow you to maximize your use of the space, consider these tips and make some adjustments – we hope you’ll see your mood and productivity start to elevate.
Photo by Roberto Nickson on Unsplash