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When you’re setting up a workspace, it’s important to take into consideration how you want to use it and how you want it to function.
And of course, a workspace should be able to help you be more productive while also allowing you to work in comfort as well.
Whether you’re working from the comforts of your home or at school already, there are a few tricks that you can do to optimize your space for both productivity and comfort.
So if your desk looks like it’s about to fall over because of the clutter and you’ve got no plant life in sight, here are 12 ingenious tricks on how to set up a productive workspace!
How To Setup A Productive Workspace: 10 Ingenious Tricks!
1.) Try to find the right lighting and maybe a view
Natural light can help you feel more energetic, less tired, and less stressed as well and most importantly, it helps wake you up. That’s why if you have the option, get as much natural light as you can in your workspace as possible.
To find the right kind of light, your goal is to avoid exposure to artificial light sources. If you have a window in your work area, try to place your desk near one.
Even if you’re not really a morning person and more a nocturnal one, try to position yourself so that when the sun rises each day, it shines directly on your desk or your work area. You’ll soon notice that this simple trick makes it easier for you and your body to know what time of the day it is and sets off signals in the brain that encourages wakefulness.
Another thing is your computer, laptop, and smartphone when used in a dark room emit blue light. And blue light is known to suppress the melatonin production of our body and ultimately messes with your natural sleep cycle.
So instead of working at night with nothing but artificial illumination around you (and then more once you’re in bed with your phone), keep things easier for yourself by keeping some minimal lighting on while you’re working late into the night—a small table lamp will do just the job!
And lastly, try to aim for a spot with a view. It’ll be good for your sanity as well as your eyes so that you can take a break from your screen from time to time and indulge yourself with something that’ll distract you from your workload!
2.) Keep your desk clean and clear to avoid distraction
A cluttered desk is equal to a cluttered mind, so if your desk has a lot of things going on right now, then this is the sign for you to clear it out asap!
A clean desk is a sign of a productive workspace. So try to keep your desk clean and tidy it up at the end of each day as this will help you focus on the task at hand and will also prevent clutter from building up over time.
If you can’t clean up after every day, then at least make sure that everything is put away neatly so that nothing important is getting covered by paperwork or other items on top of them. Implementing a filing system is also of great help so that nothing gets lost in an unorganized pile of papers.
Try to also clean out your drawers regularly! Every week or so, go through all your drawers and files to find any stray paper or maybe that gel pen that you’ve been looking for for almost a month—you’ll be surprised at what things have been sleeping in your drawer!
Always try to organize your workspace because it’s always a great way to start getting more productive, as being organized will make it easier for you to work quickly and efficiently. You may think that it’s impossible, but trust me—it isn’t!
3.) Choose the right chair that will support your back
You’re probably used to sitting in a chair and you might be sitting on one right now, but have you ever thought about how to sit properly? Most of us will think that the chair we use for work is of little importance, but I’m here to make you think otherwise.
Generally, you should be able to sit with your back straight and feet flat on the floor because if your feet are not resting firmly on the ground, it can cause back pain and lead to other problems like carpal tunnel syndrome.
It may feel strange at first but if you’re to practice sitting properly regularly it will become second nature over time.
Choosing the right kind of chair provides a whole world of difference. It has to be both comfortable and ergonomic. Make sure that it supports your back rather than your back leaning against it. It also should be adjustable to fit your height as well as your posture.
This will help align your spine for optimal posture so that there will only be minimal strain on your neck and shoulders.
It’s also best if your work chair has armrests—it is safer for your back if you can rest on them while typing or using your mouse. Also, ensure that the back of the chair has good support; this will help prevent you from slouching and being in a bad posture for long periods of time which could eventually lead to neck, shoulder, and back pain.
Go for an ergonomic chair that has built-in lumbar support as well as a headrest, this will ensure that your body is in good posture all throughout your busy day.
4.) Breaks are vital!
As much as you want to be productive, know that taking breaks is vital for your productivity, both physically and mentally.
A good rule of thumb to follow is to take a break every 15 minutes or so, it can be a 5 or 10-minute break depending on your preference and what you’re doing, but I highly advise you not to skimp on it!
Stand up and stretch as well during your breaks! We all know how dangerous sitting for a long time can be. Stretching and moving can help improve your body’s blood flow which will then help increase oxygen levels in the brain so that you can think, focus, and work better.
Doing so can also help prevent headaches caused by sitting too long and not moving around too long.
Always remember that quality is always over quantity in any field of work; taking frequent breaks will help improve your overall productivity if they’re applied correctly!
But remember that it’s also important to take a break correctly! You should be well away from your desk doing something that will help calm your constantly-stressed mind. It doesn’t matter if it’s napping, reading, playing a game, or watching a movie as long as it takes your mind away from the work even for an hour or so.
What’s important is that you’ll feel refreshed and ready to take on what’s next!
5.) Browse inspirational websites for design ideas
While it can be easy to get inspired by other people’s work, you can also look at the design of your own life.
What do you love? What makes you happy? If there’s a space or room in your house or office that feels warm and inviting, take inspiration from that color palette or lighting scheme.
You might not realize it now, but there are plenty of opportunities all around you; thankfully we now have the internet where you can scour amazing inspos and designs of others to help you create your dream workspace.
6.) Block out noise and any distraction
Close your door if you can or use headphones to signal that you’re working, it’s always best to do so.
This will help keep out distractions and help signal that you’re in work mode. Because if you’re used to a quiet office environment it might be hard for you to fully immerse yourself in your work when there are people talking around you.
If you can close your door use a sign or put headphones on to signal to let you not be interrupted while you’re working. Make sure the headphones are comfortable since you will be using them for most of your day because we want to be productive and not distracted by hurting ears, right?
You can also try to turn on the “do not disturb” function on your phone to turn off notifications for every app but one (and maybe two) if possible try to only set your phone to give you a notification from important apps like your email inbox and messages.
7.) Incorporate plants and other elements
It’s best if you can also incorporate plants and natural elements into your workspace. Plants help with air quality, stress relief, focus, and overall productivity as well.
You can start ferns as they do well in low light conditions and require little maintenance. Succulents are also a great idea as they are small enough for desks and can be placed on windows sills as well to allow for more sunlight.
Cacti are a great choice as well because they only require little watering or attention at all. And if you’re up for some challenge bonsai trees are another great option because they’re easy to take care of and all you have to do is water them at least once a week
Air plants are also great starter plants that will help lighten up and decorate your workspace area. Once you have plants all around your workspace you are sure we love their appealing aesthetic element which can be good for your focus and productivity levels.
8.) Use an app timer
In relation to taking breaks, timers are an effective way to limit how long you spend on a task.
If you’re working on an email try to set a timer for 10 minutes or so and see how much work you can get done in that time.
If you need to help your stay off of social media for a while try to install a browser extension like StayFocusd or StayFree that will block the site from being accessed during certain periods of time.
You can do the same as well for your phone you can use an app called Freedom or Time Well Spent that limits how long you can have access to apps like Instagram, Tiktok, Facebook, or even Twitter.
Using these app timers will not only help you keep track of time spent on tasks but also serve as reminders of when you should take breaks so that your mind doesn’t wander off into other places where you could easily lose your focus like TikTok or Facebook.
9.) Face the right direction
Facing the right direction is also of great importance to help boost your productivity.
Most of us know that it’s best to be near a window (unless you live in a cloudy area) but what about other directions? here are some tips on how to pick your ideal workstation area:
Facing a window is ideal as it will keep your mind fresh and boost your productivity. Facing away from a window is not so great but it’s not terrible either if you can change the orientation of your desk.
If you’re looking at the wall all day while you work, consider moving your desk around if possible so that there’s some natural light coming in at least during parts of your day.
Try to not sit facing the door—you don’t want people walking by constantly breaking up your concentration with their presence as they go about their day. The same goes for sitting against a corner or desk edge. you can avoid feeling trapped when someone comes into the room unexpectedly.
Finally (and maybe most importantly), make sure that you’re looking straight at whatever computer screen is in front of you when working so that there’s no need to crane your neck or twist around uncomfortably while trying to stay productive with your work and task at hand.
10.) Assign a designated workspace and work hours as well
Work hours are the time you dedicate to doing your job and if you don’t set them nobody else will.
So it’s best to set clear work hours and to stick to them if working from home make sure you have a dedicated space for work as well.
Try not to check personal messages or social media during your work hours, I know that it’s tempting to check them when something comes up and it makes you feel kind of productive but checking frequently can interrupt the flow and your train of thought and cause procrastination later in the day when you’re trying to get back to into it.
It’s so easy to get sucked into the temptation of checking your email and social media and other distraction during work hours but if you want to be productive and get things done, it’s important that you set clear work hours and discipline yourself to stick away from the distractions during those times.
Ultimately,
With the right setup, you can maximize how productive you are in your workspace. And now that you’ve got the basics, it’s still important to remember that it all comes down to what works for you!
If these tips don’t seem to fit you, find ones that do! The best way to know what’s right for you is by experimenting with different setups and seeing what feels good for you and your routine—and then sticking with it (with room for improvements and change over time!).
So go forth and find your perfect setup, and enjoy working every day! Until our next one!
