Do you also crave for short breaks during your work hours? No, we are not talking about the snack break that we keep taking in between work to boost mood and energies. We meant small breaks for our emotional and psychological well being to enhance productivity at work also makes a big difference in productivity. 

Our workplace begins from our very own workstation. If we make a few tweaks around our desk, it is likely to improve our overall work experience. Afterall, you just have to make a start. 

According to a research, The Impact of Work Environment on Employee Productivity: A Case Study of Business Centers in University of Benin Complex, “A quality working environment climate is said to impact individuals around the organization in various manners including their occupation execution. Work environment ecological factors, for example; lighting, commotion, correspondence and brain research are said to intensely affect workers’ spirit which may influence their work productivity.”

You can follow the ideas and tips shared below to create a cozy, comforting and more efficient workstation for yourself:

Plantify!

Plants are the perfect prop and they go with any design or colour scheme. It is a natural human tendency to remain calm when surrounded with plants. A calmer mind is more productive and performs well. Plants also clean the air and make the place feel lively. 

According to Psychological Benefits of Indoor Plants in Workplaces: Putting Experimental Results into Context, published in American Society for Horticultural Science, “Laboratory experiments and quasi-experimental field studies have documented beneficial effects of indoor plants on outcomes such as psychophysiological stress, task performance, and symptoms of ill health.”

There are tons of indoor plants you can choose from. Most of these indoor plants come in small and manageable sizes and are often low maintenance. You would be amazed at how small plants can work their magic on your workstation.

Fresh flowers

Just like green plants, fresh flowers can elevate the area around your workstation. Fresh fragrant flowers create a very pleasing environment around them. It is not only very comforting to the senses, the fragrance and freshness is known to positively affect your mood. 

A study, The physiological and psychological relaxing effects of viewing rose flowers in office workers which researched the behavior of people when exposed to the fragrance of fresh roses, concluded, “Parasympathetic nervous activity was enhanced by viewing roses. This finding suggests a simple method for decreasing stress and improving the health of office workers.”

There are a lot of fresh flowers that you can choose from for your workstation and you can vary your choice everyday. Fresh flower suppliers around your office would easily agree to replenish your desk flower pot, everyday. 

Choose motivational posters

You can choose your favorite motivational quote and paste it around your workstation. You can choose the quote or saying that drives you the most and drives you to work towards your goal. If you are constantly reminded to stay focussed towards your goal, you tend to work with more commitment.

Organize your stuff 

If you organize your stuff around your workstation, you are likely to perform better at work. You can use trays and shelves to de-clutter the stuff that you use everyday. You can access the material easily and save on your time. An organized desk is more likely to keep you calm and focussed.

Use family photos

At our work, we stay away from our family for most part of the day. Using photos of family members around the workstation can create a very positive vibe for us. It is a natural human tendency to miss our family members at some point of the day. When we look at good memories in the form of pictures, it relaxes our mood and we feel calmer while working. Also, we tend to remind ourselves of the people for whom we are doing the hard work in the office. 

Some other tips to help us create a better workstation:

• Make sure your workstation is well-lit and has ample reading-light. If not, you can choose lamps and lights to ensure that your vision is not strained
• Choose calming colour if you are going ahead with showpieces for your desk
• A dedicated desk clock or designer timepiece would do wonders, even if you are used to looking at the clock on your computer screen 
• Use easily removable pastings and glues, so that they don’t harm the paint or coatings around your workplace
• Use a calendar or organizer around your workstation