Create The Best Inspiration Desk Setup

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Desk setup has become more intentional than ever today, as more people tend to work from home. There have also been several studies over the years on the home office desk setup and how it can impact the quality of work that is produced. While the standard amount of time most workers spend at work is 8 hours, the average person spends only about 2 hours 23 minutes doing the actual work and staying productive.

Inspiration Desk Setup

Is it possible to be more productive at work? Several factors are involved to make this happen, which is why more people are gradually taking their office set up more seriously. It is not new to see workers share their work from home set up on social media to inspire others or at least, just for the sake of sharing. This has contributed to the growth of intentional desk setups that drives inspiration and helps improve productivity.

An ELSEVIER study shows how various environmental factors can affect the work concentration and productivity of employees. Some of these factors include temperature, air quality, lighting, and noise conditions in the office.

There are several ways to create the best desk setup or productivity desk setup that spurs up inspiration, some of which are highlighted in this post:

Choose the Right Environment

The first step to creating a workspace is to choose the right space for it and there are many factors to consider.

Start by looking for a free space that you can use and think like a mouse, that is you have to look for the quietest place. Although quite some people like to work with some background noise, it would be best if you have a specific source of sound rather than random noise scattered across the room. 

For example, you wouldn’t want to sit close to the road in a bustling area where there are too many people talking at the same time or the blasting horns that won’t let you concentrate. Look for somewhere as quiet as possible and if background music works for you, get a sound system or headphones to do the magic. 

Another thing to look out for is your privacy, as you will need to be alone with your thoughts most of the time, especially to improve your creativity. If you have kids at home, you may want to look for space where they won’t always disturb you. In a case like this, you know your dining table is out of it. You should also consider a space with no foot traffic to avoid too many people walking in and out or just passing by while you work.

Look for a comfortable space with amazing scenery. While you might spend the bulk of your time behind your desk, it also helps to move around in-between work. With beautiful scenery, you will have something to focus on, which could also help with creative thinking and inspire your work. A large workspace is also beneficial in the sense that you can easily take walks around to stretch your legs and exercise a bit before going back to work. 

Above all, get a space that you are comfortable in and will be able to carry out all your activities effectively.

Go Minimal

After choosing your space, the next step is to design that space to suit what you want. It is often advised to go minimal while creating your workspace, as it helps with lesser distractions while you focus on the most important things and get your work done effectively. It is also a perfect approach to maximizing smaller workspaces, as you get to design your space with a few essential things.

Going minimal does not necessarily mean it has to be bland. There are several creative ways you can go about switching things up to create a clean and minimal desk setup.

One of the ways to go about this is to keep your colors simple; you could go for black and white or throw in a touch of bright color to bring more life to your setup. The idea of minimalism is to focus on the most important things and cut out the extras, so always remember ‘less is more’. Include the things you love and need. 

This goes beyond the desk setup itself and could extend to getting rid of unnecessary routines. At the end of the day, you will be building a physical and mental space to enhance your creativity and productivity.

Befriend Plants

A lot more people are beginning to find interest in plants but it is more than just for aesthetics purposes. Adding plants to your workplace helps decrease stress and improve productivity. A US study found that employees with a view of nature tend to take fewer sick days. In another study from the UK, it was found that bringing plants into the workplace not only increased productivity by 15% but also increased concentration and workplace satisfaction.

In this desk setup idea, more plants were introduced into the workspace to reduce or eliminate negative impacts on our climate and natural environment. Green home and office cleaning have long been known to be beneficial in many ways. Some other benefits of plants in the workplace, some of which include improved moods, the ability to refocus attention, improved performance on cognitive tasks, mental restoration, and reduced mental fatigue, and it also helps purify the air by absorbing pollutants.

Organize the Clutter

One of the most proven ways to stay productive at work is to declutter often and stay organized as much as you can. Several studies point to how clutter can affect your productivity. Scientists at the Princeton University Neuroscience Institute show that the brain likes order and it loses its ability to focus when there are constant visual reminders of disorganization. 

Clutter affects your brain and work, as it makes you feel constantly overwhelmed and disorganized. It’s easy to have lots of documents flying around on your desk but it would be better to have them in folders or drawers and shelves, so you get to have only the important papers on your desk. 

You should also make it a habit to dispose of papers immediately after use and they are no longer relevant. Or rather, get a whiteboard to help you jot down instant information, which is also a great way to sustain the environment by using fewer papers.

Get desk organizers to help you properly put together some of your accessories in one place. Have a particular spot assigned to your pens, stationery, post-it notes, folders, and documents. If you have to spend a lot of time looking for an item, it could constantly distract you from your work. You will be less likely to finish your work at the same pace and efficiency as someone who is less distracted.

Create a Good Ambience

The ambience of your workspace has a huge impact on your work inspiration. Switch up things to bring good vibes and improve your mood while at work. If you’re working from home, you have the liberty to create the kind of ambience you want and explore your creativity as much as you want.

There are many ways to go about this but most importantly, go for options that best suit your style and personality. Start with a good design and integrate colors and lights to make the room as lively and welcoming as possible. Colors have a psychological effect on our mood and productivity and a huge effect on our cognitive abilities, so you may want to choose colors based on the kind of vibe they give off.

You can include natural plants and scented candles to purify the air and also add warmth and coziness. A table lamp will also come in handy, especially when the light fades and it, also, adds to the aesthetics of the workspace. Add wall arts and cool paintings or whatever makes you feel good as you work.

Light it Right

As you spend long hours sitting behind your desk and staring at your screen, what you may not realize is that you are constantly straining your eyes with poor lighting. Lighting in the workspace goes a long way and this is beyond taking care of your eyes, as it also helps reduce your risk of fatigue, headaches, stress, and accidents. This is in addition to improving your mood and making you more productive.

Experts suggest more natural lights help you gain nature’s benefits, such as vitamin D, which helps promote better health by fighting depression, diabetes, and chronic pain. When you’re healthy, you’re happier, which means you get to work more efficiently. Natural lights also help you sleep better and longer at home.

To enhance the natural lights, you can also get clean and quality artificial lights that blend perfectly into the color and theme of your space. With adequate lighting in your workspace, your mood will be improved and you’ll have a higher chance of getting good work done. 

Invest in Furniture

Getting good quality furniture for your desk setup cannot be overemphasized, as it plays a huge role in not just how productive you are but also in your health. Several studies have shown over the years how changing the furniture at work helps improve employee’s productivity.

In a study on the quality of workplace design on quality of life at work, the environmental quality was assessed to measure functional comfort, that is, the degree to which workspace features either help occupants get work done or make their work more difficult.  

There are several factors to look out for when choosing your workspace furniture, from colors to quality, height, size, adjustment, and more. Your choice of color for your furniture depends on you but preferably, it’s best to go for lively colors or colors that best align with the theme color of your workspace. 

When choosing your desk, aim for a desk with drawers to help you keep and organize documents. You could also choose an adjustable desk to suit you per time or preferably a sit-stand desk to help reduce the number of hours you spend sitting.

For your chair, always choose a chair with the correct height for you. A chair with the right height will have your legs at the 90-degree angle, with the back of your knee close to the seat. To avoid getting the wrong height, opt for a chair with adjustable height. You should also check for adjustable headrests and armrests and ensure you feel comfortable while seated. Most importantly, check for the lumbar support and how well it can be adjusted to align with your spine.

With the right chair and desk at work, there will be a lesser risk of lower back pain or any form of musculoskeletal pain. It also helps you to work better and in a correct posture, which contributes to your productivity.

Use a Feature Wall

A feature wall can be used to reflect your individuality. Make it about you, what you love, and what inspires you. You can make your wall pass a message to keep yourself inspired at all times. It is also a great way to add to the aesthetics of the room. Use photo frames, wall arts, quotes, wall texts, and more. You can also get wallpaper designs to add to the beauty, especially if you would not want to leave a wall plain.

Conclusion

Staying inspired at work can be intentional, and these factors play a huge role in making that possible. Since you get to spend most of your day at work, you should feel excited every time you walk into your workspace and be ready to work. You could choose to try different designs to see what works for you best and there also lots of inspirational desk setups online to help you envisage what you want yours to look like. 

If you are planning to design your workspace to improve your productivity, the tips shared here can come in handy, as they have been proven, tried, and tested.

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Vishal Gaikar

Article by Vishal

Vishal Gaikar is a professional blogger from Pune, India. If you like this post, you can follow him on Twitter.

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