Functional workspaces and comfort | We all have one, we all do it.

We sit down at our desk at work every single day, we spend a lot of our time at the office. Putting some thought into how you design this place can greatly improve your performance and comfort at work.

 

It all starts with a good desk. This will be the place that all of your work is centered around. A place where you will spend most of your work day and where you will find all your material. Make sure the desk is big enough to keep all of your things. You don’t want to run a half marathon just to grab a notepad. You also want sufficient space to put your desktop computer or laptop. Preferably, invest some money in a good desk and get one that has a special stand just for your monitor at eye level. Add a board for your keyboard, just below the main desk surface.

 

Next, get a good chair. Having a proper chair with adjustable height and armrest and a well-cushioned seat will pay off in your spine’s health.

 

A very important and often underestimated office item is proper lighting, you want the light to be bright enough so that you can see, read and write comfortably, without having to squint, but be careful not to choose bulbs that are blindingly bright.

 

Now that we got the basics covered you can get your favorite utensils. Choose the pens, markers, paper, notepads, mouse pads, paper clips, staplers that you feel most comfortable working with. Get everything that you use regularly, preferably have a little bit of stock handy in case you need a replacement. Just be aware that you don’t want to clutter your desk. There is only so much you can possibly comfortably have handy on your desk while still being able to find all your equipment quickly.

 

Also, be aware that too much color/glitter/psychedelic patterns can in fact be a huge distraction. Try to find a good balance between surrounding yourself with things that you like to look at and views that increase your productivity.

 

If you have your own office you will probably want to store things that you need for your work but not on a daily basis or that are simply too bulky to stay on your desk (e.g. photo cameras, printer paper, cartridges, spare notepads etc.). A shelf or pedestal is ideal for storing those kinds of things. Place it close to your desk. Again, you do not want to walk far for your printer paper. Choose the size of shelf that best fits your needs. A big shelf fits lots of things but also runs at risk of being used as a storage space for things that you should have thrown away months ago.

 

Speaking of cartridges and printing paper, you probably also want a printer close by. Unless you managed to miraculously and meritoriously manage to get rid of every paper printout you will eventually need one. Having a printer, spare cartridges, and paper handy will save you lots of valuable time and planning of not having to go to the copy shop.

 

Now personalize your office. Get a good calendar or agenda that you feel comfortable working with and that you like opening and writing in. Get some pictures of loved ones, flowers, and basically anything that makes you feel comfortable in your workspace. Just be aware that most likely people around you that might be irritated by a noisy, blinking, glittering Buddha statue.

 

One more tip: rearrange your desk/office every once in a while. It will give you new energy, a little break, and make your desk look neater, making your workspaces way more functional.

 

Make the most out of the place where you spend hours a day. You might have to invest a little in some good equipment. But in the end, it is going to pay off by increasing both your productivity and your happiness at work.

 

BHIVE Workspace provides functional and customized workspaces to perfectly suit your needs and preferences. Come in, have a look and bring in your favorite goldfish to take your ideas productively and happily to the next level.