Whether you are working from home or venturing into the office, there is nothing worse than starting your day by sitting down at an uninspiring desk space. We believe that making your desk or home office into a personalised and stylish space can increase your productivity and happiness while you are working, so here are some fun tips to spruce up your office desk or your home office space and create a desk that you can really enjoy working from!
Personal touches
One easy way to help you gain a sense of ownership over your desk area is by adorning it with personal touches such as favourite photographs of family, friends, or special and memorable moments. A favourite print or piece of artwork can also add a touch of class and style to your desk top, reflecting and complementing your own style and personality. A small souvenir from a treasured holiday or an ornament gifted to you by someone special can add to this effect.
Stationery organisers
For many people, a messy workspace can be a real barrier to productivity. Having an easy way to keep your desk tidy can therefore make a huge difference when it comes to creating the perfect working environment for yourself. There is a huge range of different stationery organising accessories available on the market, ranging from pencil pots to mini drawer sets; file holders and desk trays with compartments for all your much needed desk items. You can have a lot of fun exploring the different options and finding the perfect desk tidy for you. Take into consideration what kinds of stationery items you most often need to keep at your desk, and make sure that your desk is organised in the most efficient and space-saving way possible. You want to reserve places for all the things you tend to need most frequently during the working day, whilst also making sure you have a clear area to use for all your daily tasks!
Self care drawer
It’s important to look out for your health and wellbeing throughout the working day, and your desk space can play an important part in making sure that is possible. Set aside a small area, or even a drawer if possible, to hold all those important bits that you need to make sure you can function at your best. Think about what items you need regularly- perhaps painkillers for those mid-morning headaches, or allergy tablets to fend off that summer hay fever. Keep a supply of your favourite essential oils to help you through stressful moments, as well as your favourite hand creams and sanitisers. You could also treat yourself with a supply of some of your favourite snacks to help see you through until lunch time or to pep yourself up if you start to feel low on energy. Depending on your office environment, you could even keep a cosy blanket on nearby to snuggle up in and warm on winter days; or tuck away a scalp massager or shoulder massager to ease tension after the morning commute.
Pot plants
Bring a touch of nature to your desk top with a low-maintenance pot plant. Succulents are often the easiest plants to care for and also look great on your desk! Some pot plants can also do a good job of adding oxygen into the air around you, which can keep you feeling awake and alert throughout the day whilst also promoting lung health, especially important for city commuters who regularly breathe in polluted air. Some of the best plants for air purification include the following:
- Areca palm
- Snake plant
- Money plant
- Gerbera
- Chinese evergreen
(Source: https://lunginstitute.com/blog/top-5-plants-for-increasing-oxygen/)
Lamps
Keeping your workspace bright can help prevent eye strain whilst working, and can keep us feeling positive and motivated throughout the working day! If you have the opportunity, select a desk lamp that reflects your style- there are so many fun and varied options to pick from!
Calendar/giant planner
Keep your goals and important dates in sight by displaying them on a calendar or a giant planner. Having a physical calendar or planner on your desk can allow you to keep those important dates in mind and can feel more tangible than just using an online or digital calendar. It can also be a nice way for anyone passing by your desk to have a quick view of what you are working towards.
Ideas board
If you are a creative type, and if your job involves coming up with new thoughts and ideas on a regular basis, it can be really handy to have a place for doodling or jotting down your big ideas as they occur to you. A small whiteboard or a giant notepad can serve as your ‘ideas board’ and can be a good place to capture your creative thoughts.
Fragrance
There is nothing more personal or evocative than a beloved fragrance, and making sure your desk area smells great can really add to your sense of comfort in the office, as well as really having the capacity to change and improve your mood. Consider keeping a scented candle or reed diffuser on your desk, making sure to carefully select a scent that you associate with productivity, creativity, and anything else that is important to you while you are working.
More Top Tips
Make sure to choose which items are most important to you when it comes to keeping things on your desk. It is by no means necessary to include all of the different items mentioned in this article, as you certainly don’t want your office desk or home office to become cluttered and messy. Be mindful of the amount of space you have available to you, and make sure your desk top is well-rationalised easy to keep tidy. Unless you are working from home, be sure to take into consideration the style and tone of the rest of your office and the other desks around yours. If you are working in a shared office, make sure that your desk looks professional and appropriate whilst giving it a touch of your own style. If chosen carefully, some quirky and personalised touches can still look great without looking too incongruous with the rest of your office. Using some of the ideas above can really make a difference to your working day by allowing you to create a workspace that you really look forward to sitting down to each morning!