How Your Office Decor Can Affect Your Mood
On average, you'll spend about half of your waking hours at the office. This means that whether you're commuting to work every day or working from home, your professional environment is important. The way you decorate your office can boost your mood and affect your productivity. That's why it's essential to include decorative elements that will make you feel your best while at work.
When you're looking to make some aesthetic changes to your office, you'll want to express a bit of your personality while ensuring that you're motivated to get things done. Here are some things you should know about how your office decor can affect your mood.
Choose artwork that inspires you and has sentimental meaning. A portrait of your family or a framed favorite quote can remind you that your hard work is going to pay off. You can also find pop art for sale that features modern themes or celebrities. This art can serve as a way to help you remember your mission at work and encourage you to be your best. It's also a good idea to choose frames that coordinate with the decorative scheme. For instance, if you prefer a modern, minimalist design scheme, frames with sleek lines in black, white, or gray are ideal. If you like Victorian or opulent themes, wooden frames with carved designs can be a perfect finishing touch for your office.
Include elements of
nature into your office. Evidence shows that making contact with nature, even if it's just for a few minutes, can encourage positive feelings and lower your stress levels. Open the windows, add plants, or place a small fountain or aquarium in the office. A large plant near your desk can help you breathe easier by cleansing the air in the room. An aquarium with colorful fish is relaxing to watch and can help calm your mind when you need to take a short break. You can also include a few quality photos of natural scenery to keep you in a great mood during the day.
Incorporating color into your office can make your professional space more appealing. If you want to decorate an accent wall, choose colors like green or blue. Green is a color that inspires you to think creatively and feel a sense of balance. Green is also the color of growth, so seeing this hue in your office can motivate you to complete professional milestones. Blue is a calming color that will make you feel more at peace when you're working. Blue also indicates reliability, so when you see this color in your office, it will remind you that you're capable of doing great things. You can also add green or blue furniture to your workspace. Chairs, area rugs, and curtains add a pop of color that makes a huge difference in the overall look of your office.
It's essential to have good
lighting in your office. Lighting has a huge impact on the way you perform at work. One study indicates that there is a significant connection between daylight exposure at work, such as through the windows, and the quality of sleep you get at night. It's best to incorporate natural light into your workspace as much as you can. If your office is not near a window, add skylights to the area or install lights that are "daylight rated" which imitate natural light. The right lighting makes you more alert, elevates your mood, and improves concentration.
It's a great idea to add a fireplace to your office space if you can. Whether you have a small company or you're working from home, a fireplace can be a relaxing addition to your professional area. During the colder months of the year, the fireplace can provide warmth and comfort. If you work with clients often, a fireplace makes your office feel more like home, so clients may be more at ease discussing important issues with you.
These decor elements can make you feel refreshed and energized when you step into your office. If your workspace is visually appealing, you'll be less likely to be distracted and satisfied with your productivity at the end of each day.
Katie earned a BA in English from WWU and loves to write. She also adores hiking in redwood forests and photography. She feels happiest around a campfire surrounded by friends and family.