I've always found it difficult to "customize" spaces, whether it was a dorm room or an office, because I was usually renting out of a temporary space and I didn't spend all that much time there anyway. This meant that any permanent or intricate set ups would be a pain to deal with when moving out and it was hard to justify anything like that especially when I was spending more of my time out and about, too.
Now that I work from home I feel like that's all changed.
Spending almost 90% or more of my day working out of the same place I live, quickly kicked that old mindset to the curb. Working from home has led me to explore different inspirations with setting up my work space so I can be as productive and effective as possible, while feeling like the space is completely mine and I'm entirely comfortable.
It didn't take all that much research, but to make your life easier I'll summarize some of the key things I've found to creating a vibrant and productive workspace. Let's dive in...
Natural lighting is an amazing. If you're a content creator or have any experience with photography or videoproduction, natural lighting always reigns supreme. Not just from an artistic stand point, but a desk jockey standpoint as well.
Natural light tends to be "softer" and won't strain your eyes like industrial flourescent lights found in most offices. Having those blast your retinas at 8am? Yea, not the best thing. Waking up, having a nice cup of coffee while the early morning light gently creeps in through the blinds providing just enough light for visibility is *chefs kiss* a delight. When you're in a good mental state, starting your morning off on the right foot will do nothing else but set you up for a great day.
Try doing this tomorrow morning and throw on a spotify Lo-Fi Jazz playlist and I know for a fact you'll be calm, cool, collected and ready to crush the day.
Another light source you may have to consider, depending on the hours you work, is a monitor light. These are sleek, easy to use light sources that can be great for those late hours at the computer and relieve your eyes of additional stress. I'd also recommend any sort of backlighting for the desk if possible, too. Simple LED strips or lightbars can be found on amazon for relatively cheap pricing. These lights will take the additional stress of your eyes during the day, but then at night if you like to use your desk for things other than work (like me), you can change the light colors and create a totally different atmosphere.
My experience with plants is, well...Not ideal. How is that even possible? It's a plant...Embarrassing, I know. I tried growing some vegetables once but being on high rise balcony apartment made that a little difficult. How does that relate to what we're talking about here?
Well for a desk space or work station, plants can be great ways to bring some life to the area. If you're like me, maybe opt for the fake ones though...
From succulants to bonzai trees, there are tons of great options and they all range in size!
Based on the size and area of my work space, I'd be likely to get a smaller bonzai tree that can go on the desk itself. Or something that is light enough to be placed on a adhesive wall-shelf. These floating planters from amazon look super cool! Using magnets in the base and planter, it's able to float or hover so it just gives a much cooler, future-esq approach to something as simple as a plant.
Plus, depending on the color scheme of your work area, the contrasting bright green leafs can overhaul the area's overall aesthetic.
Now this is when you can go all out with what you really want! I have a lot of things that are unique to me and my interests of course, so I won't bore you with what I got.
Instead, here's a list of things you can look up and based on your interests there will likely be options for you:
Canvas art - higher quality than posters, will usually come pre-framed making install a breeze
With these basic concepts and little bits of inspiration, take some time and map out how you want to set up your space! Do you have the ability to be by windows where the light can flow naturally throughout the day? Do you have ample power outlets/sources in the area not just for your work equipment but any lights or additional things you have?
I recommend visualizing or drawing out how you plan to set everything up and once you have it all squared away you'll be able to enjoy a great workspace where you can produce your best work and feel great for the entire day.