Everyone wants to have their office tailored to their style and needs. This not only makes a good impression but also lets you work with peace in an atmosphere that you like. Your office should always let people know what kind of a person you are. So the first impression also counts.
You don’t have to invest a lot or search crazy ideas to make your office look more professional, it’s very simple. Here are some ways that you can adopt:
1. Display something Personal:
Your office should always express who you are. Having a personal touch in your office can make you look more approachable, and serve as a conversation starter. There are so many things that you can have in your office. You can put your family picture, photos of your kids, or parents, or pets, or your favorite car model, or even a poster of your favorite team! You can also display the awards that you’ve won in the past, or even put up frames holding certificates from the past! Anything that would make you have a comfortable and fuller office space.
2. Have enough space to meet people:
Not every person you meet will be in a conference room, or at the coffee shop. You do have people visiting you in your office, both new, and familiar. Having space for visitors to sit and feel comfortable is very essential. This could be anything depending on the area of your office. If you have a large room, then you can have a small coffee table and some comfortable couches set at a side in a chic manner. If you don’t have that big of a space, then a small coffee table with some cozy chairs would also do. If you want to keep a pair of chairs right across from your desk, that is also doable, but you should make sure that you don’t have any obstacles in between, like a computer, or a pile of papers or files to create an awkward wall. Keep your computer on to the side, and have a clean and tidy desk space to facilitate communication with your guests.
3. An organized filing system:
If you’re someone who has a lot of paperwork to do, and you’re always hidden under a pile of work, then you need to make sure that it doesn’t make your office look cluttered and messy. A filing system is the core of record management. Having a proper filing system and sticking to it will make your space look neat, and will also avoid the excess paperwork swallow your area. Not only that, but an organized file system will also help you organize your papers in a manner that will allow you to work comfortably with them.
You can have places for the most important documents, documents of lesser importance and so on. Only a good filing system ensures the systematic preservation of various types of information.
A good file system will help you from freaking out when you lose a paper or have to swim through the pile to look for one. This leads to saving time and brings efficiency in office operations. The filing arrangement can also help you to refer to relevant papers and documents when necessary. This helps in keeping records and planning for future operations. Filing also enables you to take quality decisions, because all incoming and outgoing reports are correctly filed without any frustration, and you can refer to the desired document on time.
4. Furniture Matters:
You know you will be spending more than half of your day in your office, so you need to get comfortable. Lounge furniture is great, but it’s definitely not made for long hours of work. To be more productive and have full concentration, you need to have a relaxed setting. Comfortable furniture eliminates unnecessary movements, and awkward resting and working positions. This makes a workplace a lot more efficient because when you are working with good comfort and concentration, you tend to get the work done on time.
You can choose to have a traditional desk, with a comfortable chair and maybe some couches to add to your room. Always give great attention to your furniture because it is so crucial for your health! Uncomfortable furniture can cause bad posture, aches, and even improper digestion. Furniture not only has great utility but gives your office a great look too. There are so many variations in size, color, and textures to choose your style from. Also, you should always make sure that your furniture is kept away from places that have a high content of moisture, as it can spoil your furniture very quickly.
5. Good Light:
Nothing beats natural light, but we’re not always lucky to have it. It could be that you have a window in your office, but not have light in abundance. Or maybe you don’t have a window in your office at all! Whatever the case is, having proper light is very essential. Appropriate office lights are a necessity, while poor office lights directly affect work performance and can strain your eyes.
A study has shown that having poor lighting in your office can affect your productivity and satisfaction. So it’s important not to skimp on lighting or rely on just having typical fluorescents. Lamps can look very chic; they’re easy to move, and they are an excellent source of light as well. You can also install energy saving lights in your office, which help you save money too! You should also keep the wall colors light, so the walls appear bright. Don’t splash bright colors everywhere as they could be very distracting and disturb the hue.
6. Include some nature:
Having some nature in your office makes it appear more vibrant and refreshing. If you have a window with a beautiful nature view, don’t hesitate to keep the blinds and curtains open. Don’t open the glass, as it could be disturbing, but you can keep the blinds away. You can also keep some indoor plants that don’t require much air and water and are comfortable in the shade. They can add a pop of color too. If you’re not comfortable with keeping real live plants, then you can always go for fake plants!
You can also place some flowers in elegantly chosen vases and put them on your shelves or coffee table. If you want, and manage to do so, then you can change the flowers regularly. You can either buy some fresh flowers on your way to your office or pick them from your private garden. But if all of this is a hassle for you, then you can stick to fake flowers. You can also change the location of your plants and flowers. Move them around to have new views. Plants also help you to reduce stress and increase productivity.
A study shows that plants help to reduce sickness and absenteeism. Some experts argue that adding plants to a work environment can help to reduce the risk of sick building syndrome. The presence of plants can result in positive change in the physical work environment and mental work environment as well. Plants also help to reduce noise levels. You can also place larger plants in multiple locations, like edges and corners of the room.
