10 Tips For your desk space

What your office, your desk, or your workspace looks like, can affect your ability to get the job done. 

You work hard, so hard that you might not have the time to stop and think about what your desk looks like, or what’s on the walls around it.  That might be OK for you – or that might be stifling you.  I’m the later type of person.  My work space, and what it looks like definitely affects me and by extension, my ability to perform my job.

My last job was in the Law and Finance Building in Downtown Pittsburgh.  They were having our new office space customized so we moved into a temporary office space on another floor of the building – and it was like stepping into the 80’s.  It felt a bit like an office that the Ghost Busters would have been called into: Old wall paper on every surface, older desks (mine was missing an edge and I would scrape myself on it all of the time), dark old wall paper and dingy lighting.  I felt depressed as soon as I walked into the office everyday.  It was no fault or the building or the company – it was a temporary space and it worked for the time being, but I had to do what I could to make my personal workspace in that building bearable.

I ran out and bought a colored mousepad, a bright planner and notebook, colored pens and post-its – anything I could to brighten up my space a bit.  The job before that one, and the job before that one, now that I stop and think about it, required the same thing.  Plus artwork from my nieces and more.

Why? 

Because these little accoutrements helped to brighten my mood and uplift my spirit.  If you are stressed, unhappy or feel stuck at your job, take a few minutes to look at your physical workspace.  I’m not saying that you have to go out and spend a lot of money on personal items…but a few minor tweaks can help to alleviate some of what you are feeling. (DISCLAIMER: Sometimes you just need to get out of that job and into something that works for you – but this can help in the meantime, until you can make that happen).

1. Clean: Take everything off of your desk.  Set it on the floor or your chair, or borrow your neighbor’s desk when they’re not in.  Wipe down your desk space.  In large offices with air-conditioning that is always running, you can gather a good bit of dust on your desk.  If you can, vacuum or leave a note for the cleaning staff, what every is the protocol for your office to have the space around your desk cleaned.
2. Organize: before you put everything back onto your desk.  Look at what you have and group it together.  Take all of the papers and gather them up.  Then go through them one by one and either file them, lay them aside in a neat pile or get rid of them.  Pens, paperclips and all of the little stuff can get away from you, so find some drawer space or desk space where you can neatly store these.
3. Rearrange: Now that it’s time to put things back onto your desk, think about the space that you have and how you can make it work to your advantage.  Maybe that means switching your phone to the other side of the desk, or moving around all of the little things so that your desk looks evenly balanced.
4. Color: Pops of color can brighten your mood.  If you know some kids, or are artistic yourself, find some artwork and hang it around your desk.  Find positive or inspirational quotes and hang those or tape them to your desk as well.  Sometimes even just a colored pen can make your meetings less boring, your tasks a little less tedious.
5. Photos: Whether it’s your family, your significant other, your favorite pet, or just some of your favorite places to visit, adding these personal touches can help to keep a smile on your face.  Changing them up every so often can help keep the space new and inviting, rather than old and stale.
6. Your Chair: Overtime, your computer chair might sink a bit, the chair itself might sag a bit.  Maybe the arms no longer raise to the height that you need them.  Maybe the lumbar support is broken.  These things happen.  Your chair though, directly affects your posture and therefore your wellness.  This is the one thing that I might recommend investing in.  If your chair is in poor condition your health and/or mood will follow.  You might also want to consider converting to a standing desk (but from experience make the transition gradually).
7. Lighting: If you have a dingy or dark office, or your office relies heavily on natural light, sometimes bringing in a small lamp and providing yourself with a little bit of extra illumination can work wonders…and save your eyes.  Your eye can be the source of headaches every bit as much as tension from a poor desk chair can be.  Take care of them and grab a small lamp if you need to.
8. Switch Up Your View: This one is optional and might not be a possibility for everyone.  In my last job, taking my laptop and whatever I needed into another room, like a conference room or even the reception area of the office was a big help.  Changing the view and the people you are working around can dramatically impact your mood.  It can even be energizing.
9. Creature Comforts: An added pillow for your chair, a blanket or jacket in case you get cold, even adding a bright colored umbrella for those days that you get caught in the rain and have to walk to the bus stop can help make the space look, and by extension feel, more comfortable.
10. A Productive Distraction: Don’t freak out.  I said a productive distraction, not distractions.  With marketing being a creative business, sometimes we can hit road blocks the creative process.  I like to keep a book, or a knitting project close by, something that I can do for a FEW minutes to relax my mind and rejuvenate the creative process, and then get back to business.

These are just a few tips that you can easily implement from time to time that have a direct impact on your mood.  Work can be hard.  It can be stressful.  But the one thing that you do have a little bit of power over, is your personal space at work.  If you work at home, like I now do, then you have the option to customize your space however you darn well please.  Personally, I have a home office, but sometimes sit outside and work, or plop down on the floor next to the dog.  These small changes can help make your day a little more interesting.

Now that I do have my own office in the home, I am implementing these very tips on another level.  I’m cleaning up my space and getting organized because clutter distracts me.  We are painting the walls and getting some new lighting options to brighten up the room.  My nieces are drawing me some pictures, and we are hanging some beautiful art that help make the space warm and inviting – if not colorful.  We’re framing some photos and even adding a few plants!  The space has gone from a catchall room, to an actual office and space that I can enjoy.

In fact, I’m currently recovering from painting the ceilings…that’s tough work!