The Importance Of Having Your Own Space

Even the world’s best collaborators sometimes need some time to themselves. Alone time, whether it is at home or at work, is almost impossible to come by, unless you have your own space. These days office environments are often geared towards lots of communication between colleagues, with individual cubicles being dismantled in favour of open plan offices where everyone can be a part of the team. This is great in theory, and most people prefer the democratising and social benefits of the shared space. But what are you losing if you give up your personal space?

Having your own space makes a big difference to the way you think and feel. While nothing new is created in a vacuum, people often need time and space to themselves to come up with original ideas, or solutions to problems. Having personal space allows for deeper relaxation and greater concentration, both extremely helpful mental states for many types of work. Many tasks can be completed with greater accuracy if they are attempted without interruption or distraction.

One of the great benefits of a personal work space is the ability to decorate it to your liking. Purely individual touches, like photographs of family members, are great motivators to some workers. Others aim to improve the feng shui of the workplace by adding plants, crystals or mirrors in strategic places. These personal items can individualise sections of shared spaces, giving individuals further focus, and ultimately be a positive influence on workplace practices.

People attempting to work from home can find the home office (which is often used for a combination of activities) a tricky place to get work done. If having your own space designated solely to work is impossible, see if you can designate some particular times for that space to be for work only.

Taking the time and space to work alone when needed will mean you can come to team meetings better prepared and ready to share your personal best when collaboration is in order.

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How To Make Admin Fun

There are just some days when you have had enough of the administration.  You may be surrounded by piles of papers, bills need to be paid, the in trays are full and you just need a distraction and some fun to make the day just that little bit better.

Here are some gadgets and toys from the Gadget Bargains website that may add some colour and fun to your office and in some cases help you get inspired when you are looking for that extra bit of creativity or to simply break the boredom.

Desktop Bowling can be a great distraction and challenge as you can play by yourself or other co-workers.

Playing the Finger Drum set can be fun plus you can actually record the realistic sounding drum patterns you make.

The Basket Ball Trash Can Game can give you a break from the routine of the admin plus you may improve your basketball shooting skills.  Comes with sounds effects including cheering every time you score.

Have a look at this Stress Buster Desktop Punching Ball that is great for managing your stress plus it can give you a bit of a workout while at your desk.  Very sturdy and the suction cups means it will stay stuck to the desk.

There are many more great ideas but the main thing to remember is that these gadgets let you have a quick break and also give you a bit of a distraction if you need some motivation to get the tasks completed.

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How to Set Up Your Work Area

Setting up your work area is not just about placing your furniture in an aesthetically pleasing way.  It is important that your place of work is conducive to productivity, creativity, and fosters camaraderie among employees.  So, before heading out to buy your office fittings you need to keep a few things in mind on how best to set up your work area. 

Each of these tips will apply to you whether your business is home based or has a number of employees.

1.  Determine how much you want to spend for your office space.  To make it easier, plan a budget for each workstation, from the cubicles and computers to the phone lines and electric cables.   It’s by far the safest way to keep your spending under control.   I know how tempting it can be when you see the exciting advances in technology.

2.  Prepare your layout.  It’s not good to cram your office with workstations, office machinery and filing cabinets.  Even if your space is small, a well-planned layout is going to make any space look bigger than it really is.   Remember, you have to sit in there with all that stuff!

3.  Go ergonomic.  Aside from making yourself and your employees comfortable you can lessen stress injuries and fatigue brought about by badly designed furniture.  Use adjustable work desks and chairs, as well as allowing enough legroom under the desks.  It is worth buying the best you can because it is likely to save you money in the long run when you think about potential medical expenses caused by injury.

4.  Consider your lighting and electrical needs.  Building a productive workspace also means taking care of lighting needs.  It is important that you provide adequate lighting to avoid eyestrain and headaches, especially if the lights create a glare from the computer monitors.  Be certain that you have enough electrical sockets for your office machinery so that things will run smoothly.  This is one thing that is often overlooked when rearranging the work place.

Keep your area clear and only bring the necessities into it.  It will not only look good but it will be more efficient and safer for you to work in.

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I Love My Job – The Lost Dr Suess Poem

This is a poem that has been circulating the internet for a while and it just seems so suitable for this blog.  I have no idea who wrote it but it is reputed to be by Dr Suess.  At the very least it is written in a similar style and with some humour.  I hope it puts a smile on your face!

The Lost Dr. Seuss Poem (I Love My Job)

I love my job, I love the pay!
I love it more and more each day.
I love my boss, he is the best!
I love his boss and all the rest.

I love my office and its location, I hate to have to go on vacation.
I love my furniture, drab and grey, and piles of paper that grow each day!
I think my job is really swell, there’s nothing else I love so well.
I love to work among my peers, I love their leers, and jeers, and sneers.
I love my computer and its software;
I hug it often though it won’t care. I love each program and every file.
I’d love them more if they worked a while.

I’m happy to be here. I am. I am.
I’m the happiest slave of the firm, I am.
I love this work, I live these chores.
I love the meetings with deadly bores.
I love my job – I’ll say it again – I even love those friendly men.
Those friendly men who’ve come today,
In clean white coats to take me away!!!!

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