If you’re like most people, you spend a lot of time working.
Probably as much time, if not more,
than you spend at home, with friends,
or even asleep in your bed.
But while you might save up for a comfier mattress,
you probably won’t invest in an ergonomic chair.
And you might decorate your home with painstaking detail, but you won’t pay half a mind to
how files are arranged on your desktop.
The truth is, we could all be much happier, more productive, and focused if we put more
intent into our work environment.
With the concept of the workspace ever evolving thanks to our reliance on digital tools,
we now have greater opportunity than ever before
to work exactly the way we want to.
So which factors matter most
when making a great workspace?
There’s no doubt that your surroundings influence your behavior and mood.
A study of Harvard students found that students with messy desks gave up on challenging tasks
almost twice as fast as students with clean ones.
It’s also been shown that remote workers face greater feelings of isolation
than in-office workers.
And a report from Emergent Research stated that
84% of remote workers felt more engaged
and motivated when in a coworking space.
That’s not to say that office spaces are the solution for everyone.
Remote workers benefit from fewer interruptions, greater flexibility,
and stronger work-life balance.
According to our Wrike Happiness Index,
workers value flexibility as the second-most important
factor in worker happiness, behind compensation.
The most effective workspaces are the ones that make you feel the most comfortable,
yet keep you focused.
So let’s look at the elements of a great workspace.
Some people like standing while they work.
Others prefer to sit.
You might like as many monitors as you can squeeze on your desk,
or you might want to keep it simple.
Headphones are a great way to minimize distractions while you work,
but not all music genres are created equal.
Ambient music has been shown to improve accuracy of data entry by 92%.
Mathematicians are 12% more accurate in solving problems when listening to classical music.
And trance music can help proofreaders complete their edits 20% faster.
But hey, you might not mind some distraction to break up your day.
Okay, maybe that’s a little too much distraction.
The point is, you need to take an honest look at your strengths and weaknesses.
What makes you feel comfortable?
What keeps you focused?
Our growing reliance on digital tools
requires a new focus on how we manage work within our screens.
We need to consider questions we haven’t explored before, like:
How do I archive, access, and manage my work
with minimal storage limitations?
How do I construct a seamless workflow that allows me to collaborate with others
while still retaining a sense of autonomy?
And how does security play a role
in the integrity and reliability of the tools I use?
These considerations are as crucial as any in our physical environment:
visibility, collaboration, and security
are essential elements of a productive and comfortable digital workspace.
We asked wrikers how they tailor their physical and digital workspaces
to best suit their needs.
I have a favorite playlist on pandora of classical music
and i don’t know what it is,
and it plays the same songs over and over but I enjoy them.
I think any time you can introduce little moments of spontaneous creativity into your day
it’s gonna help clear your mind.
People who know me here at the office will see me strumming the guitar for five minutes
here and there.
And usually what that's doing is I just finished one task that took a lot of brainpower,
I know I have another one coming up,
and that's just my way of giving myself a natural little transition between the two.
I need a desk and i need a charger and I need my computer,
I haven’t turned off my computer in two months,
it’s just always on.
No matter who you are and what job you do, a great workspace will always be one
that adapts to the way you work.
So, what does your workspace look like?
Let us know in the comments below where you work,
how you customize your space, and any
advice you’d like to share.
Thanks for watching, and don’t forget to subscribe for more!