How to Create an Office Space that Helps You Write
by Cassie Phillips
Make sure you’re not distracted – Where your office space is in relation to the rest of your house or work is very important for productivity and your ability to get work done in the space. If the area is too noisy, you’ll definitely get distracted and be less productive, so you want to pick a place that is somewhat quiet at the very least. It’s psychologically proven that your brain works better at solving problems in silence. Ideally, if you can have a room that is specific to your writing that can be cornered off from the rest of the noise in the area, this would be good for your work, but if this is not possible, always try to position yourself far away from the noise and high-traffic areas. You also need to make sure you’re free of online distractions as well if you’re writing on your computer. There are a few apps that you can download to stop you from getting distracted by your favourite time-wasters, such as StayFocusd. This is a great program that blocks certain websites of your choice for a period of your choosing, so you can ‘stay focused’ on your writing projects.
Make it comfortable – Making the space as comfortable as you can is very important because if you’re not comfortable in your office space, then you won’t want to stay in the space for very long. One of the most important things to consider when creating an office space, especially on that you’ll be using for writing, is the desk and chair arrangement that you’re going to have in your office. Firstly, the chair must be comfortable on some level. When you’re going to be sitting at your desk writing for extended periods, you need to be able stay there comfortably so that you can focus on being creative, rather than on any back pain that you might have from a bad chair. In saying that, standing desks have become more popular these days for people that work in an office, and you may want to spend a portion of your time standing rather than sitting, so a chair may be less important if you have a desk like that. As long as both your desk and your chair at the right height, you can’t really go wrong with whatever type you choose, but always remember to take small breaks from sitting or standing for extended periods to aid your back and posture.
Make it clean – There has been an age-old debate about whether having a clean or a tidy desk can aid efficiency and creativity, but many studies have found that having a clean environment to work in is preferable for a lot of reasons, especially for a writer. Having a clean desk and having all the things you need to access easily is very important for the writing process, whether you’re writing a story or journal article, you need to be able to access your research or anything to do with your content as quickly as possible. Having everything you need when you need it is crucial, but having too much in your office space can be frustrating and can limit your overall space. Spacer is an Australian website that caters to people who want to share or rent a space. Simply search your local area for places to store your belongings, from your furniture, documents or even your car. You can place up to $10, 000 worth of belongings into one of Spacers safe spaces, and you don’t have to worry about the security of your items. Simply search for the type of space that you need in your area, confirm your bookings and payment and you’re good to go. Compared to the prices of other parking and storage websites Spacer is very affordable and offers convenience to customers that they may not get from similar services. This type of service is great for those who have a small office space, but need to declutter and move of some of their paperwork without actually getting rid of them.
Bring it back to nature – Having some natural elements in your space is crucial to how you’ll function physically in your office space. Studies show that having a plant in your office space can significantly reduce stress amongst workers, so having a plant in your space will definitely make you less stressed. They also known to aid productivity, creativity and produce clean air, so there are many benefits to having a plant in your space that are more than health benefits. Lighting in a space is also another important thing to factor into your office space, and natural lighting is even better for you if you can have it in your space. Not only does it make a space more inviting if it has proper lighting but having natural lighting in particular will help you get a bit more Vitamin D during the day, that will aid your overall productivity and make you more refreshed than those who aren’t exposed to natural light, so this is important physically as well as aesthetically.
Create different zones – Make sure that if you have the space for it, that you set up different zones in your office, because you’ll probably be doing different things at different times. You won’t always want to be sitting at your desk in front of a computer. Sometimes you’ll be reading or editing, and you might want a comfy chair in the corner of your room to relax in while you work. Having a balance of intense and relaxed work is important for productivity, so breaking the room and the work up into certain areas may help you. This also goes hand in hand with knowing when to take breaks from your writing and having these zones for relaxing and for more creative thinking in your space will help you significantly. If you’re having trouble relaxing in your space, why not try an app like Calm, for meditation and relaxation. Calm is great for regulating your breathing, helping you sleep and overall just relaxing which is what you need sometimes after a hard day at the office; to just switch off your brain and remain calm.