Let’s be honest here for a moment. Do you get inspired when working from a cluttered corner in your kitchen? Probably not. What about an 10x10 drab after bare room? My guess is no. We spend the majority of our days in our offices, and we’ve worked so hard to be able to do inspiring work that we love. At my company, Marie Mae Company, we believe it is important that our workspaces be just as inspiring as the work that we do.
The aesthetics of our environment can have a powerful effect on our productivity and mood through out our workday. Think about it. What makes you feel better? Working in a space that’s organized, bright and creating an impact, or working amidst clutter with no view of the outside world and with products that were produced in less than stellar working environments? In order to maximize our efforts, I believe we should have a workspace that is pleasing to the eye, as well as in line with our world changing vision. Our offices say more about us than we think. Let’s make them look good and do good!
The aesthetics of our environment can have a powerful effect on our productivity and mood through out our workday.
So how do you go about turning your workspace into a place that changes the world and looks good doing it?
- Decide what type of impact you would like to make and make it known in your space. Once you’ve decided on the above, you need to decide what type of impact you would like to make and promote it in your workspace. Do you love supporting small U.S. businesses? Would you like to support artisan groups around the world? Is there a particular social cause you care greatly about, as Marie Mae does about promoting a business education for women around the world?
- Define your aesthetic. Do you like a minimalist design, or a more industrial feel? Would you like your office to be mid-century modern like Don Draper’s on Mad Men, or would you prefer a warmer feel like Alicia Florrick’s on The Good Wife? What colors and lighting do you prefer? What materials do you gravitate towards?
- Evaluate your work style. Do you prefer working fully electronically, or do you need to spread out and write things down on paper? Do you prefer to work sitting at your desk or standing up? What office products do you need to do your work? Is ambient noise a problem? All of these things should be taken into account before you turn to the aesthetics.
- Make your workspace a place where you want to spend time. So many times, our offices, whether they are at work or at home, are just afterthoughts when it comes to decorating, but that shouldn’t be the case. We personally prefer a bright, organized and impactful workspace with lots of windows and natural lighting. Don’t forget to add some greenery, as well as a rug and some pretty wall hangings that remind you of what you are working towards.
- Organization is also key. Everything should have a place, and I personally love these bowls from Local + Lejos for that purpose. You will also need to fill your workspace with paper products that help you work productively towards your world changing vision, such as Marie Mae’s Good Office Box where all products are produced in the U.S. and provide an hour of business school for women in emerging markets.
We make an impact with our purchases, whether we think about it or not. The products we use in business matter, and will also influence our family or co-workers to think about them
the same way. We can make an impact each and every day by making conscious decisions about how we dress up our workspace. So the next time you go to put together an office you love, remember, even these purchases can and do make an impact.
Photos by Karen Marie Hernandez
