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With Hybrid working becoming more the norm than not, it’s important to have a productive workspace. So what do we mean by a productive workspace? This is space that allows you to get into a flow state and allows you to get some real deep work done. A place that when you sit down, your brain knows it time to work and helps you to avoid distraction.
So in this post I want to run through some tips for creating a Productive Workspace that allows you to achieve deep work.
1. Environment
2. Lightening
3. De-cluttering
4. Noise
So, let’s Jump into these tips in a bit more detail.
Environment:
For me this is one of the most important things to address in order for you to be able to build a productive workspace. There are a few elements to your environment to look at.
The Space:
Finding a space in your home that is quiet with limited distractions and is a pleasing place to spend your time is key. A room or area that you can solely dedicate to work will help you get into that deep work flow. I personally have used our spare room to allocate as my space for work whether that be for my 9-5 or for my content creation work.
The Desk:
I have been through a few desks in the past few years, from repurposed kitchen tops to standing desks. I am currently rocking the Flexispot E7 Pro standing desk which is nice a minimal but at the same time, it provides me enough space to have all the essentials that need to get work done.
Standing desks are great for getting you to change your position when you are working. Being able to go from sitting to standing at the touch of a button is so beneficial to your wellbeing. One of the Key features of this desk is that you are able to program your standing and sitting positions so it’s literally just pushing a button.
if you are looking for a a great deal on Flexispot Office Equipment check out their Sale that is running till the 25th of August.
The Chair:
I didn’t appreciate how important a good chair was until I needed to get my own. So the chair that I am using currently is the C7 Premium Ergonomic Office Chair also from Flexispot. Having a chair that supports my back and keeps me in an ergonomic position is really important and keeps me comfortable throughout my working day.
The C7 chair offers a few other very nifty features that make it a perfect office space companion
The Desk Essentials:
No desk is complete without a few desk essentials and mine is no exception. I have tried not to overboard here and just stick to the ones that make my desk space a productive one. So here are the ones that I am rocking in my space. I have missed out on the screen bar in the section but don’t worry it will covered in the lighting section 😊
A Decent Monitor:
For ergonomics and productivity having a decent monitor is key. I personally use an Ultra Monitor for LG which allows me to keep my screen at eye level to make sure that I have a good posture whilst working to reduce back and neck pain. The other reason for having a decent-sized monitor is that I can have multiple windows open at once on my screen which is really useful for when you need to have multiple documents open.
A Decent Keyboard:
I have had a number of different keyboards but for my home office, I have settled on the LoFree Flow Mechanical Keyboard. I like this keyboard because it has such a nice sound to it and it’s also super comfortable to type on for long periods of time. If you are not a fan of mechanical keyboards then I would highly recommend the Logitech MX Keys Mini which is also great for typing.
A Decent Mouse:
There is only one mouse out there for me and that is the Logitech MX Master 3. It is the most comfortable mouse that I have used and supports my wrist so I have not experienced issues through excessive use. It’s also programmable through the Logi app so you can set it up to how you want it to fit into your workflow.
Lighting:
Now lighting is not something that I had thought about much in the past but now appreciate how much good lighting impacts your workspace. In my office space, I have 3 main sources of lightening to cover me whether is light or dark.
Screenbar:
This was a find from watch god knows how many desk setup videos on YouTube and it’s still one of my favourite purchases. The BenQ Screenbar sits on top of my monitor and adjusts its brightness automatically to how much light is in the room, you can also adjust this manually, and you can also adjust the warmth of the light. The benefit of having a Screenbar is that it prevents reflection and evenly lights up your desktop to help reduce eye screen.
Desk & Floor Lamp:
I have two lamps in my office space one Govee Lamp that sits on my desk which is used when it’s a bit dark in the room or at night to light up my space. I can also choose the colour I want to match my mood and it’s also compatible with my Alexa so I can use voice Control to turn it on and off.
The other is the Govee Floor lamp which is mainly used at night to add some depth to my YouTube videos. I want to have the choice of which light I want to use or if I want both depending on where I have positioned the floor lamp. Again this is controllable through Alexa or the Govee App.
Natural Light:
This is probably the best light of them all. Having a window that allows natural light into your workspace is great. I would suggest being a bit strategic about where you place your desk in relaxation to your window. Having your monitor facing the window may lead to reflection on your screen that your Screenbar will not be able to help with. I would suggest if possible having your desk facing the window to prevent the natural light from causing reflections.
Decluttering:
Onto one area that I am not that great at but am working on and that is having a clutter-free space. You know the saying a cluttered space leads to a cluttered mind and I have to say that it’s true (or at least in my case), when my office and in particular my desk is a mess it distracts me and I am far less productive. So what are some things that you can do to keep your space clutter-free?
If you don’t use it lose it:
When decluttering any room take stock of what you have and then it’s time to be brutal on whether you need it or not. I try to look at it and say have I used this in the last six months if not am I likely to use it, if the answer is no then it is time to let it go.
Stop impulse buying:
Another one I am not great at 😂 really thinking about if you need to buy that item or a new desk accessory. Some people recommend waiting for a period of time say 30 days and if you still want it then buy it. Being more conscious of what you are buying will help keep your clutter to a minimum.
Clear Desk Policy:
There is something about a clear and clean desk that puts me in a more productive mood straight away. There is nothing there to distract me, everything on my desk is there for a reason a purpose to make me more productive or enhance my space. I love a desk accessory but I find them distracting which is why I have striped my desk right back I have even removed the desk mat to have a really minimalist look.
Noise:
This is an interesting one for me I can certainly see why having a quiet space is beneficial. Keep unwanted distracting noises out of your space like TVs etc. Now not everyone has a dedicated space which allows you to lock out the world to focus so another way you can do this is by getting a good pair of noise-cancelling headphones. These are great for when you are on conference calls or just want to drown out the noise.
I reason I say this is interesting is that some people feel that listening to music can help with getting them into a state of flow. I can agree with this there are certain times when I listen to music and before I know it 30 minutes have flown by and I have completed the task I set out to. So I guess what I am trying to say is that some noise (music) can help with productivity but there are others that you would want to block out.
Final Thoughts:
These are just 4 areas that I have found useful but everyone is different so it’s really about setting your space up to work for you. My workspace is still a work in progress and has evolved over the past few years, I love reworking my space and keeping it fresh but I do try to stick to the principle if you can call them that above. So have a play around, move furniture around, and experiment with your lighting and what’s on your desk to best suit you.
I would love to hear about how you have created a productive workspace in the comments 😊