10 Simple Ways to Refresh Your Workspace, According to Emily Henderson

news7h 01/18/2022

11 7 minutes read

10 Simple Ways to Refresh Your Workspace, According to Emily Henderson

In the same way, redecorating can make you healthier and happier, redecorating can help spark new ideas, boost creativity, and raise productivity levels. This is especially true in places where you spend the most creative time, such as at your desk (aka my dining table now). If you feel unmotivated or uninterested in sitting down to work, then you know it’s time to refresh your workspace and change up your surroundings.

If, like us, you’re ready to make some physical design changes to your workspace and get those creative sources flowing again, buckle up for Emily. Henderson has all the tips and advice to revitalize your space and your state of mind. This is especially necessary since many of us already work full-time from home. But this change has really had a positive impact on Henderson’s work life.

She explains: “As a person I have gone past my schedule (self-imposed) so it has completely changed, hopefully permanently, my outlook on work. “I like a fast-paced life, and I’m sure I’ll get back to it in a bit, but the forced slowdown makes me realize how exhausted I’ve been letting myself be. It’s like a ‘busy detox’ and now that I’m more present with my kids, it’s crazy! I work less but I feel more productive.” We have to agree. In fact, the idea of returning to a regular office is becoming less and less appealing.

Read on for some simple updates that will help you turn your workplace (wherever it may be) into a place of fun, inspiration, and one you love every day. Because let’s face it, our home desks are a more important part of our lives than ever before.

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Find out what inspires your creativity (and what not).

Everyone’s brain works differently based on their environment (and your work), so Henderson suggests cultivating environments that inspire you A. Wants to sit down to work and B. Work most efficiently.

“It’s similar to knowing which music or sounds help you thrive at work and which distracts you,” she tells me. “I need as little clutter as possible so I have a tray to prevent clutter so the rest of the desk can be as clear as possible. I need natural light and a super comfortable chair, but it can be a super small space or even at the dining table. So figure out your non-negotiables for productivity and try to hone the best you can. “Sage advice.

2 out of 28

picture of Tessa Neustadt for Emily Henderson

Consider furniture and decor that have dual duties.

Many of us are working from home these days, but not everyone has the luxury of a dedicated home office space. Henderson recommends investing in multitasking sections that work as hard as you do. Or decorate an area that’s twice as large as your dining table or couch but still feels like a productive work environment. “I like the ‘work tray’ which is the tray that keeps it all in one place so you can move around when you need to (or away from the lunch/dinner table),” says Henderson. Or if you’re working in bed, invest in this acrylic bed tray—a game changer!

Emily Henderson Home office_refresh your workspace

pictures of Sara Tramp for Emily Henderson

Upgrade your desk accessories.

Think about it — you probably spend at least 40 hours a week at or near your desk, so why not moderate it to make you feel more like you? “You want your space to reflect your personality, and a lot of this can come from pretty pens (I’m happy for that) or a nice notebook,” says Henderson. Henderson said. “Personalize with what brings you joy, the little things that make you happy and that you would like look. It could be picture frames, a suitable stapler, even a stack of great design books to keep you inspired.”

Try some of these great solutions to add personality to your desk and help you stay organized:

– A statement pen holder adds a bit of quirks to your Monday mornings.

These stacking trays are a classy way to make stacks of paper look like they belong together.

– Combine form and function with a wall calendar that’s pretty enough to frame.

– Raise the bar with these gilded scissors. No one can borrow yours and never return them again.

pictures of Sara Tramp for Emily Henderson

Bring in the elements of nature.

Studies show that nature can instantly make us feel more inspired and see things in a different light. If you can’t take a break from working outside for a few hours of the workday, bring the outdoors in. Natural gems like seashells, crystals, stones, and flowers are all inexpensive ways to create your desk decor to include things that bring. it’s a real seasonal approach.

Jac Cameron, co-founder and creative director of AYR Denim in NYC, looks to crystals to decorate desk spaces and spark good energy. “I have a million crystals around me. Next to the candle on my desk, there is an amethyst crystal. In terms of energy, I love what it does for me. There is also labradorite. It has an iridescent sheen, which is great for the creative process. And behind me on the windowsill, there are some rose quartz pieces. “Um, um.

pictures of Sara Tramp for Emily Henderson

Surround yourself with the people you love.

Another easy way to mix up your decor and freshen up your workspace with the seasons is to add some classy photo frames and change up the photos with a few of your favorites. Seeing familiar faces and happy memories creates instant euphoria and morale.

pictures of Sara Tramp for Emily Henderson

Add a few plants.

We already know that there are More natural light in the office leads to better happiness for staff, but It has also been proven that having plants in the office makes work more productive, less stressful and staff is more focused.

Plants, specifically, has a brain-restoring effect, and can actually enhance concentration and attention span. Studies have shown that they can actually increase worker productivity by 15%. Our little green friends also reduce stress levels, make us more motivated, and can help clean the air around us. And that’s something we can all get behind.

“Seeing or being close to nature is something most of us can get more of now when we’re not in big office buildings,” says Henderson. “Place your desk to look out a window if possible, if not, buy a plant or two to help with air circulation.”

No green thumbs? No problem. Refresh your workspace with our favorite series of artificial plants that look like anything.

pictures of Sara Tramp for Emily Henderson

Organizing.

Remember what we said about clutter earlier? Resist the urge to stuff all those papers in a trash drawer. Instead, use tabletop storage boxes, baskets, bins, or drawers to organize supplies you don’t necessarily need on your desktop. If you don’t have desk drawers or prefer certain items to keep on your desk, get creative with your storage with stackable drawers or color-coordinated boxes that don’t just transform. clutter into art but also makes it easier to find what you need. when you need.

Of course, your storage needs greatly depend on your business. At a bare minimum, Henderson says most of us need a tray. But depending on your needs, choose a desk with drawers to hide the trash, or upright and choose a rack or even a small hanging cabinet to hold books/notebooks and shared supplies.

Plus, keeping labels and tags on your resume makes a huge difference in helping to avoid those dreaded mountains of paper from forming on your desk. Filing can actually be a lot of fun when you use beautiful resume folders and have somewhere cute to hold it all. That stack of papers looks suddenly so much more stylish and manageable.

pictures of Sara Tramp for Emily Henderson

Let’s light it up.

Henderson HQ is “sensory,” meaning candles and flowers (even if they’re dried or picked from the backyard). “If I didn’t see my kids all day, I would probably choose to photograph them (and I probably still would) but clutter makes me feel chaotic at work, so I just wanted to create out the vibe without. a lot of things,” she said.

Lighting candles in the office can help spark your creative flow and instantly spark a cozy feeling at your desk, which, oddly enough, makes you more motivated to be more productive. If candlelighting makes you nervous, there are some great flameless candle options to freshen up your workspace while still helping to improve the overall atmosphere and mood. Of course, I will also forever hold on to my theory that a salt lamp can fix anything including candle FOMO in any space.

pictures of Zeke Ruelas for Emily Henderson

Make it comfortable.

An office is more than just an appearance. It is also about function and comfort. As you’re refreshing your workspace decor, you may also want to consider making some changes to improve the ergonomics of your space. That may include:

– Get a standing desk instead of a traditional sitting desk or a standing desk adapter.

– Invest in a monitor lifter that will position the monitor at eye level. Or, stack some books on the coffee table under your monitor to make it sit higher.

– Get a keyboard tray to place your keyboard underneath your desk.

Buy a chair with extra support for your back or buy a pillow for your lower back to lean on and help you maintain proper posture.

– Get a footstool to support your feet when you sit.

It all really depends on what ergonomics issues you’re having right now, such as knee pain, lower back pain, or wrist pain. Having the right ergonomic solutions reduces the risk of injury from repetitive stress or other health problems on the road. Most of us spend long hours sitting at our desks each week, so try to give yourself a chance and make it a comfortable, cozy place where you feel you can really create. Do your best work and enjoy every day.

Henderson’s #1 tip for maximizing your home environment.

“In an office, form comes after function, but luckily for us, the market has really begun to produce beautiful, comfortable tables and, more importantly, chairs. Get yourself a comfortable chair,” she advises.