For some of us, we spend hours upon hours at work, sitting at desks. I am a huge believer that the way we maintain our environments plays a role in energy and therefore, the way a room or space makes us feel. I’m sure we can all relate in some sense; coming home to a bedroom that’s messy and cluttered can also leave your brain feeling a little messy or overwhelmed – which generally leads to procrastination! But a room that is clean, organised and calm will have you smashing out your to-do list and feeling focussed.
Our workspace is exactly the same; we need to make sure it’s a space that has us feeling motivated and ready to get ourselves into gear. Here are my top tips for creating the ultimate healthy workspace.
Inspirational Quotes
As much as they can get a little lame at times (I think we have pinterest to blame for that), don’t underestimate the power of an inspirational quote. Whether its a printed quote in a frame or blue tacked to your computer screen; hell you can even find some pretty cool desktop backgrounds… Find a way to have some inspiration in your workspace! Make sure the quote is relevant and means something to you. I make an effort to have a new quote that I write on a whiteboard in my room every week, this week its:
Stay Focussed. One thing at a time.
To-Do Lists
I, Maddi Bazzocco, am a To-Do List addict. It’s true and I ain’t ashamed. I don’t know what I would do without them, I’m sure my head would be a crazy place and nothing would get done. If you’re anything like me then to-do lists are an essential for a healthy workspace. I do this a few different ways, call it overkill if you will. I have my diary, which has any important dates/events. I then have a physical to-do list that has cute little tick boxes that I picked up from office works, this has the things I want to get done in a day and can be anything from finishing a blog post to washing my hair. Finally, that whiteboard I mentioned before, that has my weekly goals. Pretty self explanatory, but these are the things I need to achieve for my week. However you organise yourself, I think it’s key in ensuring your workspace is productive.
Indoor Plants/Flowers
While indoor plants provide a pretty touch of colour, there’s more to it than aesthetics. Research shows that indoor plants, or any plants for that matter help to purify the air, helping you to breathe easy. Being indoors indoors all day, these plants will remove pollutants from the air by absorbing the gases through their leaves and roots. If you’re limited with space, opt for a few little cactuses, they’re small but they do the trick. Flowers are also a great addition to your workspace, they smell nice, look pretty and provide a spark of life!
Mood Board/Inspiration Board
It makes sense, being healthy is not only about the physical but also the mental. If you’re constantly working feeling unmotivated and uninspired you’re going to foster feelings of frustration and eventually dread coming to work. Creating a mood board that creates feelings of calmness, has photos of loved ones and places you love can be a great way to breathe a little more ‘you’ into the space and make you feel at ‘home’. Alternatively, creating an inspiration board can be a great way to spark motivation. A holiday destination you’re saving for, a project you’re working towards, short term and long term goals can all go up on your inspiration board!
Hydration Station
Always have a water bottle or jug on your desk. Having it readily available on your desk will eliminate any excuses for you to get up an procrastinate, and also increases your chances of drinking more water throughout the day! It’s such a simple but effective way to ensure your workspace is a healthy one.
Snack City
I find snacking to be one of my biggest distractions. I sit down, ready to attack my work, and I think hmmm I better grab a glass of water. Ok, back at the desk… Am I hungry? I think I’m hungry, let me go grab a snack. Having snacks ready to go in your draw is the best way to make sure when hunger strikes, there are snacks ready to go and you can’t use it as an excuse to procrastinate! Fresh fruit, nuts, seeds, protein balls, dried fruit whatever you can think of that will keep you feeling fuelled and focussed.
De-Clutter
And finally, get rid of ANYTHING you don’t need. If you open up your draw and you can’t remember the last time you used any of it, get rid of it. Ask around the office if anyone else wants it, donate it, or throw it out. Having unnecessary clutter around us can create stress, and can often make our brains feel cluttered. A clean space with only the essentials makes for a perfect working situation!
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