Home & Work – How productive is your environment for you?

Entry #80, May 3, 2010

I have a homework assignment for you to do today. When you get out of your bed, and clear the sleep out of your eyes – look around you.  Do the same thing when you get to work today, preferably before you see your boss, which puts you into a bad mood.  What is it about your home and work environment that makes you feel good, or not-so-good?  Do you feel like you accomplish your goals when you’re in the space? Do you feel better when you walk out of the space, like outside?

How is your environment affecting your productivity?

If you can answer to these questions, that you feel unproductive in your space, today’s post is for you.  Debbie Bowie, Author of  Rock Scissors Paper – How Environment Affects Performance has a wonderful article about helping you develop a higher performing and productive environment.

I think these tips would help you in your home, office, studio, anywhere where productivity is key.  Debbie has 10 tips in her article. Below are 5, and visit Lifehack for the remaining 5. If you are a Stagetecture reader, you’ll notice that many of the following tips are the same for home staging, uncluttering your life, organization, etc… There is a common thread – Our environment shapes our moods and our way of living in a space.

Following are ten characteristics of spaces where you can be both productive and comfortable.

1. Clean–Dust, dirt and grime are sources of negative energy. Negative energy is distracting and interferes with your ability to feel comfortable and motivated.
2. Organized–When you’re organized you can find what you want when you want it, keep track of what you need to do, and work efficiently. Being organized also helps you feel more in control and empowered.
3. Uncluttered–Clutter distracts. Clutter irritates. Clutter attracts more clutter. It also talks to you. I’ll bet the last time your space was cluttered with paper it said something like, “Why don’t you take care of me?” or “What a mess!” Who needs a space that says unkind things to you!
4. Walls painted a color, not white–When you are in an environment that is predominantly white you are
   

   Natural light, be happier, and think clearer

   more prone to anxiety and depression. The reason for that is that color doesn’t show up against white walls. You are nurtured by color. When you don’t have enough color in your environment, you’re more likely to feel blue or anxious. Paint your walls a color and watch the color in your wall hangings and window coverings pop off the wall.

5. Good natural lighting–We all know that rooms with windows are preferable to rooms with no windows. But, for optimal performance you want to have rooms with light that is not too bright and not too dim. Light is energy. In rooms that are too bright, you run a risk of burnout because you’re being exposed to too much energy. If windows let in too much light, bringing in heat and glare, window coverings can be used to moderate the level of light. If a room is too dim, there isn’t enough energy in the space and it’s very hard to feel motivated to take action. In that case adding additional light is essential.

For the rest of Debbie’s tips visit Lifehack.