Is Your Office Boosting or Destroying Your Energy Levels?

A great office should be conducive to productivity and work to the point that it puts you instantly in the mood to work. The question is though: what makes the ultimate office in terms of atmosphere? What factors are most conducive to productivity and creativity? Let’s take a look.

1. Rich Environments.

Some researchers believe that the most energized and focused a person ever is, is during something known as a ‘flow state’. A flow state is a point at which you will be more switched on and more awake as a result of being completely engaged in what you’re doing. The more important you believe the work you’re doing to be, the more you will be able to push aside distractions and stay completely dedicated to the task at hand.

Various studies show that a range of different factors can increase our propensity for ‘flow states’. One example of this is the ‘rich environment’. The more exciting, colorful, interesting and unique the environment you are working in, the more awake and alert you will be. Conversely, when an environment is dull and uninteresting, we tend to ‘switch off’ from whatever we’re doing.

To make your environment more engaging then, you might consider lighting or decorations. Avoid the stereotypically ‘sterile’ office environment and instead consider something that might be considered creative or exciting.

2. Sound.

Sites like ‘Coffitivity’ and ‘RainyMoods’ exist to provide the ideal backing track for working to. The idea is that we work best when there is sound in the background that isn’t distracting. Matt Mullenweg of WordPress meanwhile works while listening to the same tunes on repeat. Either method will eventually cause the brain to ‘tune out’ that frequency and thereby this is the equivalent of creating sensory deprivation for the ears. In that sense, it becomes ‘more silent than silent’ without being overly bland.

3. Light.

Certain types of light help us to work better by stimulating the production of neurotransmitters like nitric oxide and cortisol. These are ‘wakeful’ hormones that can help us to feel less tired as we’re working. The best source of light for doing this – perhaps unsurprisingly – is daylight. However, you can create a similar effect using a number of other implements: one particularly effective one being a ‘daylight lamp’ which is a type of light that is designed specifically to mimic the wavelength of the sun, thereby having a similar effect on the brain.

4. Calm.

The aim is to create an office that will create a sense of calm focus – not stress. Apart from anything else, studies confirm that we are most creative when we are more relaxed as this allows the mind to wander, thereby making novel connections between disparate ideas.

To encourage this in your office, a number of things have been shown to help. One is to use plants which help the body to feel at ease. Another is to chairs that are able to slightly recline. Also important though, is to get up and walk around from time to time!

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