Personalize Your Shared Workspace
If you spend at least part of your work time in a shared workspace like an executive suite or a serviced office, you may find yourself feeling at loose ends.
One study by Alan Hedge, Ph.D., CPE and Cornell University found that a comfortable working environment can do more than make workers happy: it can improve productivity as well. You may feel that shared workspace has to be gray, dull, generic. But there are ways to spruce up your shared workspace when you’re using it, which can work wonders on your attitude, your productivity, even your self-esteem.
Since you’re not the full-time user of the workspace, you can’t make permanent décor changes, but you can make temporary ones that will make you more relaxed, productive and focused. So when you pack up to travel to your shared workspace, don’t just bring your laptop and your smartphone – gather up some of the following:
• Small framed photo(s) of your significant other, your children, a pet or a scenic landscape
• Colorful mousepad
• Special coffee mug with meaningful slogan, photo or graphic
• Reference or inspirational books
• Flowers
• Plastic jar of candy to share with your part-time office mates
Just these few simple, portable personal touches will make your home office-away-from-home office warmer, more comfortable and more productive.
