More and more people these days have been working from home, and with such a drastic change comes growing pains. The one I wanted to cover today is dull work environments. These can lead to dips in productivity and, in extreme cases, the beginning of mental health issues. That’s why I’ve put together a list of the best ways to liven up your boring office.
Open Up a Window
I’m sure many of you have figured out that natural light is your best friend when you’re cooped up in the office. However, I must ask, how many of you have actually opened up your windows to let in some fresh air?
This is a great way to circulate the stagnant air in the room. Even if it’s too cold or hot out to leave your windows open for long, only doing so for a few minutes can give you the boost of energy you need to get through the rest of the day.
Repaint the Room
You’ve probably heard this before, even from my own blog, but colors can have a noticeable effect on how you perceive the world around you and your overall mental health. That’s why, if your office has solid walls of dull, grayish paint, you should change them immediately. Gray is closely associated with depression and anxiety.
If you need something calmer, a shade of blue will do you some good. However, for those who need something livelier and more optimistic, a bright yellow or orange will be a great choice for at least one of your walls.
Add Some Decorations
What many people seem to forget when working from home is that the rules of the office can no longer restrain them. You can personalize in whatever ways you want. Feel free to put up some heartfelt pictures or a memento from a family vacation—anything that will bring you joy when you look at it.
If you are not one for keeping many personal possessions, that’s totally fine. Get a couple of house plants to brighten up your desk. Obviously, not all plants will be ideal for this, but some are objectively better for home offices than others.
Put In Some Lighting
My final tip for the best ways to liven up your boring office goes back to lighting. Of course, you can’t always rely on the sun to brighten your room, but that’s not the only reason you should invest in some new lighting options. You can also have a lot more fun with it, thanks to RGB bulbs and light strips.
In the same way, you can use wall color to boost your mood, you can do the same with lights, which are much easier to change when you feel like it. If you’re feeling a bit stressed out, set your lighting to more calming colors until you get your state of mind in the right place. Then, you can turn them back up to some more vibrant colors. The possibilities are endless.