motivaI was looking around my home office the other day I realized why I prefer to sit on the couch and work. It’s all wrong. My desk sits in a corner of the room with the least amount of sunlight, faces a blank wall, and has a plastic folding chair tucked into it. I’ve gone about it all wrong, causing that space to lack vitality and potential. It got me thinking of my dream workspace and what it would take to create a space of productivity and creativity.
I would absolutely love a standing desk. I hate feeling immobile when I work, a traditional desk and chair have you figuratively “tied to your desk”. Sitting for hours on end damages health on a number of levels. Backaches and neck pain are just a couple of examples of consequences for sitting at a desk for 8 plus hours. While it is recommended to take a break every 20 minutes or so to walk around and rest the eyes, how many people are sitting with a timer doing that? An (albeit, expensive) solution to these problems is a nice, shiny, standing desk.
I also find sitting near a window helps with productivity. Some people may find it distracting but I find it beneficial. Not sitting under florescent light is preferable to me. I would much prefer sunlight. Besides, I would also rather not look up at a blank wall and see some movement outside. If everything else is still, why should I move? If everyone else is moving, why should I be still? Along the same vain, there’s something I’d love to add to my office space: Plants. If you’re feeling dead inside, it helps to have a plant nearby. Maybe having a living thing nearby would help restore life in an otherwise grim workspace. It’s also pleasant to look up and see a bit of color! If everything else is monochromatic, having something green adds energy to the space. Similarly, adding something whimsical can restore energy to a space. In addition to or instead of a work lamp, I’d like to put up some fairy lights.
One small and easy change to make is buying a pair of blue light blocking glasses. Blue light is the harmful light that is produced by LED lights. It goes through your retinas and, over time, can damage sight. You can buy them for about twenty bucks on Amazon and they have very cool styles. I bought a pair, and not only does it reduce eye strain and headaches due to blue light exposure, but I’m told I look very stylish in them.
And lastly, I’d like to bring your attention to the unsung heroes of any work space: Swivel chairs. Like with the standing desks, there’s nothing worse than feeling constrained or immobile. You can move side to side, spin around, launch yourself across the room or anything else you want. Even without any of the above, a swivel chair can make it all A-OK. My point is, the stale, gray, pensive work environment is outdated and ineffective. You’re going to be in this space for a significant part of the day and work already has dreary connotations. Enjoy your space.
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