Hand up – how many hours do you think we spend in the office per year? If you guessed two thousand, you were right. So, that’s two thousand hours per year, or more than sixty thousand during our lifetime, at least. So why not make those hours the best, most relaxing possible?
This erroneous notion that work needs to be a solemn, serious, and dreadful affair did not bring much good to the world. Not only is it unpleasant, but a dreary and serious atmosphere at the workplace also does not boost your productivity – quite the opposite really. We recommend you create a serene and relaxing workplace, an office where people feel safe, and where they can focus on their work in a soothing atmosphere. And as luck would have it, we got some tips on how to do just that below.
Use colours to your advantage
Having a drab and dreary office won’t really improve your productivity. If the place looks like a prison you can’t really blame your employees for feeling like they are in one. Add some artwork to your walls, decorate the environment. The presence of artwork can relax your employees, just looking at a nice piece for a couple of moments can give them a break. Furthermore, surrounding by artwork, your people will get a boost in creativity.
The other thing that can come useful is understanding colour psychology. Namely, colour psychology explains the effects certain colours have, you guessed it, on your psyche. Applying this to the workplace, you can paint the walls in yellow or light blue for some calming, soothing and joyful effects. Vibrant red and neon green are more about energy, while deep brown and red are stable and grounded.
Create quiet zones
Open offices are all the rage now, and they do foster communication and creativity. However, they can hinder productivity for tasks that require very focused concentration. Furthermore, sometimes people need to blow off steam or gather their thoughts away from the stress of the office, just for a second. This can allow them to move away from a stressful situation, and then come back to it immediately with a better mindset and attitude. However, the rec room can be a bit loud, people go there to chit-chat and gossip. We are aiming at something a bit quieter.
So, if possible, create a partitioned section of the office. Mark it a quiet zone, a place of total concentration. If you don’t have this option, investing in partitions (and yes, the dreaded cubicles too) can be useful.
Natural sunlight is very beneficial
Lighting, in general, is very important. We all know the horror of the buzz of neon lights above our heads for hours at a time. Getting the right light levels, with quality, warm light bulbs can mean a lot for your atmosphere. However, you should also focus on getting as much sunlight as possible. Natural light does wonders for your productivity and general wellbeing. When exposed to sunlight, you get lots of Vitamin D, which boosts your immune system, your mood, and your efficiency.
Of course, not every office is set up in a way to give you much natural light. Still, you should do what you can. For example, wherever possible, open up the windows, minimize any blinds. If you have the option, install a skylight. Slight modifications, like placing stylish window awnings, can help you get some extra Vitamin D as well. And if you’re yet to open your office, work towards getting it designed with sunlight as a key factor.
Ergonomics and comfort
A very simple and oft-neglected part of a positive workspace is a comfort. We are talking here, of course, about chairs and desks. Something as banal as the chairs you get and the desk you use can have a huge impact on your quality of life. Remember the number of hours per year we mentioned? That’s how many hours you’re going to be sitting down in front of the computer, at least. This can have a negative effect on your posture, it can cause back and neck pain, which all, in turn, leads to a bad mood through the office.
So, if you want to keep good posture, and help your employees keep it as well, you should get ergonomic chairs. Maybe place some signs, or share a small manual on how to keep proper posture. Furthermore, if space allows it, maybe put a sofa in there, or some beanbags.
Conclusion
Creating a serene and relaxing workplace isn’t done so you can have people slack off. Quite the opposite, really. A positive and healthy environment boost productivity, it motivates people to work more, to work harder. And creating this kind of atmosphere is not difficult. You want people to be comfortable. Get some natural light in there, make the entire workspace beautiful. Think about the colours and the artwork you get, don’t let it stay grey and dull.
