People, and by people we mean us, often talk about how office design can impact work productivity and therefore your career success, but how about our homes? Would you be surprised if we were to tell you that your home environment can influence how successful you’ll be in the future?
There is no doubt that the space in which we choose to live can play an important part in the success equation. One such study titled “As Ye Sweep, So Shall Ye Reap” found that children who grew up in a clean, well-organized home were more likely to have educational and financial success.
And now that more people are working from home than ever, it makes sense to consider how your living environment and the items you surround yourself with every day can have an impact on your work life as well! Here are just a few of the ways your living space can have an effect on your professional advance, and some tips on how you can improve your home for better success:
Whether you realize it or not, your surroundings have the power to influence your emotions. Of course, it differs from person to person, but in general, the size, colour, decor, tidiness and other elements of a room plays a role when it comes to mood.
For example, having a messy house can make you very stressed. After all, it can be difficult to fully relax when you know there are dirty dishes in the sink or clothes strewn over the bed.
Another factor is colour. A room with an excessive amount of bright red, a colour associated with anger and danger, can make you feel anxious or restless whilst dark colours like grey, a colour that connotes conservativity and a lack of emotion, can trigger feelings of sadness and fatigue.
Mood and wellbeing also ties into....
A 2011 study suggests that your morning mood may be critical for productivity. Results from the study found that employees who reported having a good mood when they clocked fared better in terms of work quality and quantity, whereas those who had a bad mood produced less work and of lower quality. And if you’re doing more work of a higher quality, you’re more likely to be looked upon favourably at work. Therefore, it is crucial to design your home in a way that makes you happy!
If you’re working from home, staying motivated is a major struggle for most people. If your residential building offers meeting rooms or workspaces for its residents (bonus points if they have soundproof phone booths!), don’t be shy about making the most of it.
It’s no secret that humans are social creatures. In fact, socializing is essential for our wellbeing. Even the most introverted people need friends or loved ones. Conversely, many studies have linked a high sense of wellbeing results with better productivity and high quality of work, which we know equals to a higher probability of career success later down the line!
Now, you might not be brainstorming in the office conference room with your colleagues but your home should still have a space that allows you to socialize and interact with others. In the majority of homes, this is most likely going to be your living room and dining area. The main thing to pay attention to is seating - allowing people to sit within talking distance and able to face each other!
As you can see, your home can affect you in ways you may not even realize! Even seemingly little things like the colour of your walls or a cluttered living room can be adjusted to improve your attitude and thus your likelihood of doing well in your occupation of choice! Keen to learn a few other tips to better organize your home for career success? Keep reading.
If you don’t know what affects your mood and work productivity, you won’t know what needs to change! That’s why our first suggestion is to pay attention to certain features in your home that could consciously or subconsciously be affecting you, such as your colour scheme, furniture layout and tidiness levels.
It is impossible to create “the perfect home” in one go unless you have a lot of time and a big budget. But every little bit counts! Start with the basics: colour. Bright, light colours like white and beige are a good base to have before adding pops of additional colours which provide a more calming effect like blue, green and purple. Another easy change to implement is decor. A space that feels cluttered can feel messy, whereas a home without any decor can feel slightly unnerving. Add a few choice pieces that will add some personality into your home for the perfect balance!
These features might seem minor but believe it or not, they add up after a while. When we live in an environment that isn’t designed properly or suited to our personal needs and tastes, negative emotions can start to emerge which, as we now know, will affect your work life too.
There is no right or wrong way to create the perfect home so take the time to experiment to see what works best for you!
This is a big one, so we’ll break it down for you. First and foremost, it frees up space for items that you’ll actually use. Secondly, it reduces the time you’ll spend looking for things in the long run (so you can spend that extra time doing things that are more beneficial for work). And last but not least, it improves your mood because a tidy home is a pleasant one.
Most of us are so busy living our lives that we don’t take the time to implement this but it can be as simple as setting aside an hour or two every few months to weed out any unneeded excess to get you on your way to living a more successful life!
Let’s face it. Sometimes, no matter how much effort you put into doing up your home, there still might be something missing. Maybe you’ve got children (or other flatmates) running around! Whatever your situation, we’re here to help.
Finding a quiet space conducive to work or relaxing is key, which is why BOOQED exists. If you’re based in Hong Kong, mainland China or Singapore, check out the BOOQED app for hundreds of workspace options, or feel free to contact us via our online web form for a more personalised solution!
