New Environment?

Creating and working in a new environment can energize your spirit and jump start motivation and creativity.  A new environment can refresh or give you a whole new perspective and approach to what you’re trying to accomplish.  It may be just what you need to develop some new energy.  You may be thinking, how can you create a new environment when you have the same job, office, workspace, home, furniture, etc?  Here are some no cost, or low cost, tips to creating your new environment.  Some you may be able to implement, others you may not.

Tip 1:  Move your furniture.  When you sit at your desk you should face the opening to your office.  The farthest corner from the door is best, so you can see everything in the room.  If you have to put your desk against a wall, put a large mirror in front of you.  You’ll be able to see behind you and it makes you feel like you can move forward and you’re not getting stuck.

Tip 2:  Clear a path.  Furniture should stay to the sides or at least out of the walk way.  Create an open plan free of clutter.  Energy can’t flow freely if it keeps tripping over those paper stacks or the random junk in your office.  Anything you need and use on a daily basis should be at arm’s reach; everything else should be neatly sorted, filed, and stored.  A tidy office makes you feel accomplished, put together, and ready to go.

Tip 3:  Change the nic-nacs.  You might have special pictures, treasures your children have made, awards that you’ve won or other objects around your workspace.  Replace outdated pictures with new ones, rotate or put away past awards, mix up your display area and update your treasures.  Simply putting what you have in different places can overhaul your work environment.

Tip 4:  Reorder your shelves.  Take a break from work and reorder your book case.  Alternate big and small books, alphabetize by author, arrange by subject, put those books you have on top shelves onto the bottom shelves.  Leave some empty space on each shelf.  Give those books you don’t want to charity.

Tip 5:  Change the lighting.  Use a lamp on your desk rather than overhead lighting.  Open your blinds and curtains, if you don’t already.  Move your lamp and experiment until you find the best position.  Lighting can have a profound effect on your mood.

Tip 6:  Go somewhere else.  It’s easy to be mobile these days, with smart phones, lap tops, tablets, etc, most of your work you can take with you.  Consider writing your proposal in a park, outline your project at your favorite coffee shop, brainstorm new ideas sitting by the water’s edge.  The places you can go are endless – libraries, airports, shopping malls, your own backyard.  Pick your place dependent on your need for energy (pick a place with a lot happening, people coming and going) or solitude (nature, library or quiet time at a coffee shop).

Tip 7:  Add music and/or plants.  Music can create a different environment, just by changing the type of music you pick.  Plants can do the same.  If you’re working in an office with others, use your headphones.  Check your company’s policy about bringing plants into work with you.

What have you found that can change your environment easily?  What has worked for you?  When you’ve changed that environment, what has been your experience?  Leave your comments below.

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