6 Office Design Tips to Boost Productivity at Work

Research shows that your physical environment is the most important factor in determining your ability to concentrate. As a matter of fact, you will be surprised to know that a workspace that is well-designed can improve your productivity by 20%. Awesome, isn’t it? So, the design of your workplace, whether you work in a big company environment or at home, is of utmost importance. Let’s take a look at some office design tips that will improve your work productivity.

1. Office Scents

Your sense of smell can powerfully affect your productivity, mindset, and mood. Think about adding scents to your office space to improve your mood and focus your mind.

You can use the following scents to remain focused:

• Citrus: It has powerful effects on your mental health. Citrus has been shown to boost performance in the office.

• Peppermint: Peppermint encourages clear thinking, increases focus, and stimulates your mind.

• Lavender: It helps promote wellness and calmness. In addition to this, lavender plays an important role in decreasing mild pain, anxiety, and stress.

• Cinnamon: Studies show that the scent of cinnamon can increase memory in a task.

• Pine: Pine makes you more alert.

Remember, your office colleagues may have allergies and are not able to cope with perfumes, as they make their conditions worse. It is also important for you to know that perfumes and scents can lead to life-threatening reactions. Therefore, you should avoid introducing air fresheners into your work environment if your colleagues are fragrance-sensitive.

However, you can bring scented items to your office if your co-workers are ok with perfumes and scents. You can put essential oils or scents in your drawer or office bag. And put some drops of scent on a cotton ball when you require a boost.

And if you work from home, you can use essential oils, incense, or candles. Plus, you can also consider simmering herbs in your kitchen to fill your house with a delightful aroma.

2. Right Room Temperature

Room temperature can significantly affect your productivity. If you are feeling too cold or too hot, it is hard to focus and get the work done. Most employers maintain office temperatures from 65°F to 68°F.

If you work in an office, chances are that the temperature of your office is regulated by your employer. If you are feeling too cold, ask your employer if it is possible to bring a space heater to remain warm. To keep yourself warm, you may also bring a blanket or sweater to your office. However, if you are feeling hot, ask your employer if it is possible to bring a fan to work to keep your workspace comfortable and well-ventilated. Apart from a fan, you can also use cooled pillows or ice packs to keep yourself cooler.

If you work from home, you should open the windows of your house, adjust the heat or the air conditioning to keep yourself comfortable. In the winter season, you can use a space heater or add on extra layers for office design to boost productivity.

3. Room Color for Productivity

The colors around you have a deep impact on the functioning of your brain and mood. They invoke an emotional as well as a physical response. Therefore, working in a workspace that is the right color could boost your productivity and make you feel good about your work. For example, red can reduce your productivity and make you nervous, while the color blue is the best for productive office layout. On the other hand, yellow is refreshing and energizing and helps you collaborate with your co-workers.

If you work in an office, bring in things from your home that are a particular color that increases your concentration and motivates you. And if you work from home, think about adding color to your working desk or repainting a wall.

4. Good Ergonomic Chair

A good chair should fit your body properly and provide you with the essential adjustments to stay comfortable and productive.

Here are some important things you should know about workplace posture.

• Your eyes should be 24 inches to 36 inches from the screen of your desktop computer. Plus, you should keep the top of the screen below your eye-level.

• Your feet should rest on the ground or be on a footrest.

• To decrease lower back pain, chair posture should be a little bit reclined.

If you work in an office, you can ask your employer if you can get an adjustable ergonomic chair. Using an adjustable chair will help you keep a good working posture. In addition to this, you can change the height of your chair to suit your working desk. You can add pillows for your lower bum if you want it.

If you work from home, consider investing in the right chair. To make your chair more comfortable, you can also use some pillows. If your table is very high, you can add pillows to the chair. And if your table is very low, you can purchase leg risers from a hardware store and use books below your desktop to raise the monitor. And use a separate keyboard.

5. Consider Ergonomic Light

You may not know but lighting is one of the most vital factors in remaining focused. Bad lighting can lead to irritability, headaches, eyestrain, and fatigue. As a matter of fact, dark working environments can lead to depression. On the other hand, good lighting fosters out of the box thinking and creativity.

If you work in an office, you can use natural light bulbs as an office design for productivity..

On the other hand, if you work from your home, you should open the doors and windows of your house and allow natural light to come into your room.

6. Use Noise-cancelling headphones

Noise can affect your work productivity. As a matter of fact, according to many studies, noise is the main cause of reduced productivity among office workers. Some individuals do not like too much noise, while some individuals love to work in a noisy environment. However, you should know that too much noise can elevate your stress levels. And stress can make you less productive.

If you work in an office, buy a pair of noise-canceling headphones. These noise-canceling headphones can help block or reduce the noise around you. You can then hear the white noise that helps you concentrate and relax.

If you work from home, you can use those noise-canceling headphones and hear some upbeat music that keeps you in high spirits and helps you concentrate. You can also set up your home office in a place where you can shut the door.

Conclusion

We hope that these productive office design tips will help you enhance your productivity at work and boost your concentration. In a nutshell, office design plays a key role in your energy and productivity. Find the best smart office accessories to help you maximize your home office.