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What’s Next For Your Micro-Business
Light Up Your Creativity
If your workday feels boring or unimaginative or devoid of creativity, maybe you should turn on some lights.
Mood lighting may influence more than your romantic mindset. It can also impact your creative quotient, a survey suggests. The survey was conducted last year by The Creative Group, a specialized staffing service.
In fact, an appealing workspace can improve your productivity and concentration.
More than half (55 percent) of advertising and marketing executives polled for the survey said office environments – including layout, decor and lighting – greatly affect on-the-job innovation. Another 38 percent of respondents reported that the ambience of a workplace impacts creativity at least somewhat.
Whether you’re a self-employed professional going solo in a home office or a small firm with a handful of employees, improving your surroundings could boost your level of innovation. After all, who wants to work in a dungeon?
“Physical surroundings can heavily influence an employee’s ability to concentrate and perform well,” says Tracey Fuller, executive director of The Creative Group.
What You Can Do
To create a productive and stimulating office environment – for yourself or your employees – follow these tips.
1. Let there be light. Maximize opportunities to benefit from natural daylight. Position desks near windows to provide views of the outdoors. Arrange seating and reading areas around windows. No windows? Load up on ambient and task-specific lighting.
2. Design a creativity space. This could be a corner or wall in your home office. For employees, it could be an area in the lounge or kitchen. Fill the space with industry publications, your company’s brochures, even information from competitors. Hang a bulletin board or white board. Use the space to jot down ideas. Go to the space when you’re facing a tough problem or need a fresh perspective.
3. Cut the unproductive clutter. There’s no excuse for your workspace to be buried under papers, books, folders, files, business cards, sticky notes and dozens of loose paper clips. Manufacturers now offer every conceivable style and size of workstations, filing cabinets and desks. Check out some of the new products. Find a way to create a clutter-free space that encourages productivity.
Need more ideas for your home office? Go to this site, www.entrepreneurialconnection.com/skills/module12/skills_home.asp. You’ll find a free, online Success Skills Seminar, “Furnish Your Home Office With Flair,” from the National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE). The seminar covers such topics as:
Discovering your home office style Home office planning tips Design dos and don’ts Where to shop for home office gear Expert advice for home offices
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(Posted March 2006) |
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