6 Tips To Zen Your Workspace
Flexi-working has become the norm for many of us, and our environment has a surprisingly powerful impact on our stress levels and wellbeing.
Whether you are working from the office or home, it’s important to have a calm, clutter-free and productive workspace.
British interior designer Benji Lewis from Zoom That Room shares inspirational tips and creativity on how to supercharge your working day.
Benji’s simple tips are…
Lighting
“If your work time takes place during daylight hours, try and arrange it so that your work station has natural light. But back this up with artificial desk light so that you’re never lacking on the light front – winter afternoons can be brutal.
“For a stylish addition to your desktop, this John Lewis lamp is ideal.”
Anglepoise Type 75 Margaret Howell Edition Desk Lamp in the colour Saxon Blue
John Lewis, £179
Colour Co-ordinate
“If you want a calm, relaxing environment to keep the stress levels down, calm colours like blue are great. A splash of yellow is ideal to get the creative juices flowing and pink suggests a warm welcome. It’s remarkably adaptable and works well with other warm tones like red or orange.
“One of my favourite, sustainable brands is Graphenstone UK. Graphenstone is a natural, mineral based paint brand. It has a strong environmental platform and the paint application is effortless and second to none.”
Graphenstone paint from £18.11 (750ml)
Go Green
“Plants not only brighten up the room but they have so many other benefits. They bring in moisture, help clean indoor air, reduce anxiety and stress and boost productivity.
“My favourites include geraniums which have a natural lemon scent, Devil’s Ivy as it’s small and adapts well to low or bright conditions and Chamaedorea elegans, more commonly known as Parlour Palms. These are both sculptural and full, making your living space brighter and more breathable. I’m a fan of Hortology!”
Chamaedorea Elegans Parlour Palm House Plant – Hortology.co.uk from £16.99
Keep It Simple
“Keep your desk clean and de-cluttered. Choose carefully what’s on your desk. Keep it minimal, but anything you choose ensure it inspires great memories, positive emotions and it’s inspirational. Less is always more.
“Get into a habit of clearing your desk at the end of every day so it’s clear and calm for the next day.
“This tower storage station in black and dark wood by Yamazaki is the perfect desk organiser. It has a great perch for your phone for virtual appointments. It is practical and ties together your workspace aesthetic perfectly.”
Yamazaki Tower Desk Bar Organizer – aplaceforeverything.co.uk; £32
Zone your spaces
Pic: Alex Shu, Unsplash
“A way to indicate that an area is for downtime is to zone your space. This could be via a new furniture layout if required.
“For example, it might be to add a rug to that area – a soft surface under the foot for that end of the day feeling of comfort. A company that has perfected this combination of a preloved and authentic look with a North African vibe, is Emily’s House London. They specialise in handwoven, vintage rugs.”
Emily’s House London Rugs emilyshouselondon.com from £375
Ensure that your comfort is really worked out
“Ensure that you have a desk chair that supports you appropriately – nobody wants back pain. For the end of the day try and find a really comfortable armchair, but keep it neat – big scrolly arms and large additional back cushions can look a mess. A comfortable seat and a couple of scatter cushions should suffice.
“An ideal working-from-home chair is this ID Mesh chair by Vitra. This chair is adaptable, comfortable and provides good support during those long, working-from-home hours.”
Vitra Mesh Chairs vitra.com from £582
