Make Your Office a More Productive Place

The way your office is decorated and organized is directly related to your comfort, and ultimately your productivity. There are a few things you can do with this knowledge to become more task-oriented and productive. Here are a few tips to increase productivity in relation to your office's color, indoor environment, furniture, lighting, and general layout.

Color

The color of your office directly affects your mood. It can relieve stress and also increase productivity. A room painted a sunny yellow color is going to have a different affect on your emotions than one painted in dark blacks or browns. To increase your productivity level, incorporate warm colors in your office. Reds and oranges are supposed to be great for getting you energized and focused. You might also try using complimentary colors that are located on opposite sides of the color wheel. Going this route gives a room a feeling of intensity and high energy as well. If possible, choose colors that inspire you, and avoid grey or white.

Indoor Environment

Recent studies indicate that healthy air quality (proper temperature and ventilation) is important to maintain productivity levels. It is common sense that a worker who is too hot or too cold is not going to work at full speed. Chilly and hot workers make more errors on the job and don't work as productively as those in comfortable temperatures. Decreasing pollutants and increasing ventilation can improve job performance. When you have poor air quality, people get sick, skin issues arise, along with a number of other annoyances. Along with temperature, humidity levels should also be within comfortable ranges. The relative humidity level should be between 40% and 50%.

To get your work area a little warmer, try a small space heater. There are some very small portable heaters available. You could get a heated panel that installs anywhere you sit or stand, a floor mat, or even a foot rest that adds a little heat to your workspace. If you have the space, you might also go with a more conventional space heater.