The physical space that you use daily to get all of your work done honestly cannot be overemphasized. This is where you spend most of your time, and it has to be conducive to comfort and productivity, among other things.
It might be your desk at home or the office, your car, your work bench in a shop, or some other place, but that space is sacred no matter where it is because it’s where all the magic happens.
What Do You Need While You Work?
There’s no standard architecture for setting up your workspace, except for the fact that it needs to have all the elements that put you in the “zone”. It should be a little microcosm where you are the king and the whole environment and everything in it are designed to serve you.
You might need it to be ultra-minimal like an empty table; you might need some items around you that are inspiring to you; or you may need to be surrounded by music and art. This varies for all of us because we’re all motivated in different ways.
Should It Be Clean?
The answer to this question is most likely always yes; however, it could be debatable. Strange though it seems to the rest of us, some people really do thrive on disorder and do their best work in a chaotic environment, like a songwriter who can only write lyrics in crowded, public places.
That is absolutely true for some people, but for the majority of people, a clean and organized workspace is a primary catalyst for productivity. We tend to feel less mentally cluttered when there is no clutter in the physical space around us.
Music: Angsty Punk or Classical?
If you’re a certain kind of person (yours, truly), then the hard, almost unsettling music is the perfect inspiration you need to keep pushing, draw some extra energy, and even extract more creativity. It’s used as a kind of fuel to make you produce more work. This is important because you not only need to consider your physical surroundings but your auditory environment, as well.
Of course, there have been studies that show classical music makes study sessions more productive in an academic environment, but your work may be far from academic. Here are some music suggestions that may help with your concentration according to your personality type:
FOR HIGH-OCTANE TYPES
FOR SQUARES
Obviously, the selections listed above “for squares” are generally going to be more effective because they’re non-invasive and allow space for you to think.
When it comes to music for while you’re working, the most important element for most people is that the music be instrumental. That tends to be far less disruptive than the kind with lyrics; however, even the instrumental kind can be distracting if it isn’t the right kind for you. It just depends on how your brain works. You have to generally look for music that pulls you into focused workflow, not draws you away from it.
In summation, you are most likely the type of person who works better in a clean, orderly environment, so keep it clean. If you listen to music while you work, then you can’t just play all your favorite bands or songs. It’s far more beneficial to be mindful of what you’re hearing and whether it brings you into a state of flow.
Other than that, it really pays off to take some time to design and organize the space where you do most of your work so that you’re the most comfortable and productive as possible.
Greetings from the Talkroute Content Team!
Want to get in touch? Email Us
Stephanie
Stephanie is the Marketing Director at Talkroute and has been featured in Forbes, Inc, and Entrepreneur as a leading authority on business and telecommunications.
Stephanie is also the chief editor and contributing author for the Talkroute blog helping more than 100k entrepreneurs to start, run, and grow their businesses.