5 Tips for Creating the Perfect Office

An office is a special place: chances are you’re going to spend upwards of eight hours a day here, hopefully making magic. Whether you’re self employed, working for a company or a standard employee, a beautiful, comfortable office will help increase your productivity. I’m someone who is very easily distracted, so I have spent quite a bit of time ensuring that my office is a zen space for me where I can really knuckle down and focus. Because I’m self employed the difference between an average day of work and an incredible day of work will really affect my bank balance, now and into the future. I wanted to share these 5 tips for creating the perfect office to encourage and inspire you to make your dream office.

1. Get a Stand Up Desk
I suffer really badly from a mid day energy spike. Around 3pm I start reaching for the snacks and coffee to get me through that last part of the day. While I’ve worked a lot on my diet, avoiding processed foods and focusing on low GI sources, it took me a while to realise that part of my issue was the fact that I was sitting on my butt for around eight hours straight a day. Humans were not designed to sit down for so long, and especially not in this position. It slows down the blood’s flow and can cause you to feel more lethargic. There’s an easy solution: A stand up desk. This allows you to spend more time upright in a more natural position. You’ll burn more calories per hour which is fantastic for your waist-line.

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There are two types of stand up desks: one being a fixed height desk which means you can stand and only stand at it. The other type of stand up desk, which is my favourite, is an adjustable stand up desk. This means that you can use a traditional chair at your desk and then adjust the height in order to be able to comfortably stand. It’s really the best of both worlds. Jasonl have a fantastic range of stand up desks, ensuring that you’ll find one that will suit your aesthetic tastes as well as being extremely functional for your work life too.

2. Add Some Plants
We spend so little time in nature, which is sad considering numerous studies have shown that being in nature, surrounded by trees and plants, is a wonderful way to boost mood, clear the head and give you a better sense of wellbeing. Obviously it’s pretty hard to take your computer outside to work, so why not bring the outdoors inside? Investing in a few plants to place around the office can really brighten things up. We know that plants also produce oxygen, so having a few flowers and bushy plants around the office is a great way to get more oxygen in the office which will hopefully help your creative juices flow.

This is an inexpensive fix that can really transform the way your office feels. The great thing about choosing some plants is that there are literally hundreds of options to choose from, so you can find something you really love and it will completely change how the space feels.

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3. A Foot Rest
If you’re still using a traditional chair in your office, whether it’s part of the time or all of the time, it can be worthwhile investing in a small foot stool. This will elevate your legs a little, helping the blood flow more smoothly. Not only will this help with the oxygenating of your blood, but it should be a lot more comfortable for you too. If you’re considerably above average in height, you probably wont benefit as much as someone who is 175cm and shorter.

4. Invest in Some Art
It’s possible to buy inexpensive prints these days that go a long way in transforming a space. Websites like Society6 have an extensive range of prints designed to suit almost any style. Order a few and them framed to give the art pieces a polished look. If you already have some art on the walls, consider getting some statement cushions, this is an inexpensive way to add a little texture, colour and interest to your office.

5. Have Quality Lighting
If your office isn’t naturally sun drenched, then one of your struggles may to be choose decent lighting to ensure it is bright and airy. I find if the light in a room is quite dull I begin to feel tired, which is a disaster for productivity. Investing in some good quality LED bulbs is a simple way to quickly improve the ambiance of your office. Likewise, you can also search around for some lamps that brighten your office and can add a bit of personality.

My home office is quite dim, so I brought a bright yellow table top lamp. I love the colour: it adds a dramatic pop of colour to my office, but it also ensures that the room is bright enough so the computer screen doesn’t hurt my eyes. I also tend to do a few hours work at night, so having a bright lamp makes this so much easier. You can think of lamps as both a functional piece, and a piece that can really add a lot of personality to your office.