It’s no secret that when you’re in a positive emotional state of mind everything just seems to seamlessly fall into place. “If you smile when you wake up, even if you have to force it, you will be happier for the rest of the day” we’ve all heard this somewhere before! But here are some more practical and scientifically proven ways you can boost productivity and well-being.
1. Your office interior design matters.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re working from home or in an office; your work space design play a key role in boosting your productive energy and mental health. There are several things to keep in mind when designing your office; colour, flow, space and furniture all play an important part in creative the perfect space for you. Picking a colour scheme isn’t just about what looks good, it’s also about what feels good! You want to pick a colour that will have a positive effect on you personally, it may be of interest to do a little research into the psychology of colours before you pick too! For example – blue is known to help stimulate chemicals in your brain that is linked with positive emotions.
2. Adding a touch of home to your office.
Adding your own personal touch can make you feel more at home when working in an office! This will help you to feel more at ease and in control of your working environment, therefore helping to prevent stress. Decorating your office with personal items can affect your overall mood and mental health, so you can stay focussed at work for longer while avoiding the strain of a busy office setting. Don’t overdo it though! Try to keep in mind a sense of professionalism, while it’s great to put your personality on display through decorations, it’s important to find a healthy balance that’ll help you to stay productive.
3. Regularly communicate with people!
“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” It’s all good and well that you’re so focussed on your work and getting the job done, you’re a star employee! But you’ll find yourself fizzling out in no time if all you do is isolate yourself from your friends and colleagues just to get that report done. If you find yourself staring at your computer screen for hours trying to complete one project, you may be hitting a brick wall and staring at it harder isn’t going to help. Get out from behind your desk and go talk to your colleagues, it doesn’t have to be about the project, talk about anything! You may find that when a conversation starts flowing so do new ideas. A lot of workers overlook it, but it’s a simple way to stimulate creativity. It’ll also ease some of that frustration you were feeling trying to think of the perfect way to finish that assignment!
4. Stretch your legs and loosen up your muscles.
Ever find yourself yawning or getting slightly achy when you’re sitting at your desk? That’s a clear sign that you need to get up and loosen up those muscles. Engage your body in some physical way as this helps you to feel more energised. No you don’t have to go to the gym during your hour lunch! Just take a simple stroll to make coffee or even to chat to a colleague, as mentioned earlier; communication also helps to keep you mentally healthy. Doing some form of physical activity is a great way to wake your body up and be more productive throughout your day.
5. Got any plans? Plan out your day!
It’s a great idea to get into the practice of planning out your working day if you don’t already do so. Put a few minutes aside in the morning, have a look at what needs to be done and then devise a plan on how to get them done efficiently. This is the most powerful ways you can increase your productivity. You’ll find that without a plan you’ll just be reacting to whatever comes up throughout the day. This will leave you feeling disorganised and unnecessarily stressed, and is one of the main reasons people feel overwhelmed in a workplace. Setting clear goals for the day can help you to achieve them, as your brain will be more focused on those tasks. Ultimately you’ll see better results in your mood, your health and your productivity.
Try putting these 5 tips into practice! You’ll see how they all complement one another and in no time you’ll see your working health and productivity will improve.