Do you feel unable to focus on work? Do you find yourself feeling sleepy, tired, gloomy, or even depressed when you are in your office space or work environment? Sometimes the problem with you being unable to focus on work and thereby, being unproductive might not stem from feeling unwell or unhealthy. In most cases, you might be alright until you get into your office or the environment. You usually lose concentration when you sit down to work in the office. What might be the cause?
Do you know that the interior design of an office space or work environment affects the physiological, psychological, and productivity of its occupants? Let us consider some interior design factors that might likely influence a person’s concentration/focus and productivity in a space.
- Color
Color plays a vital role in our mood, cognitive function, creativity, and productivity. This theory is known as color psychology. “Color psychology is based on the scientific effect of different hues of each color of the spectrum, on the human brain”. Cool colors such as blue or green tend to create a relaxing effect on an individual, while warm colors such as red or orange make one feel energetic. Neutral colors tend to create a peaceful and tranquil feeling in individuals. Blue can be considered the best color for the workplace. It is associated with intelligence, and when used in a space, it increases creativity and productivity. Other colors like green and yellow when used in the workspace will also result in better performance at work. Green color calms the mood and yellow color encourages optimism, putting an employee in a better state of mind for work. Using these colors intelligently, especially blue, together with some neutral colors will help improve focus and productivity in the workplace.
When next you find yourself struggling or unable to focus at work, consider infusing some color either through repainting of the walls to colors such as blue or incorporate accessories in the aforementioned color to change things up and breathe life into the working environment.
2. Lighting
It has been scientifically proven that the kind of illumination in the workplace affects employees’ efficiency and work productivity. Lighting has a great effect on employees’ mood and mental wellbeing which in turn affects their productivity at work. Natural light or daylight and artificial light from various light bulbs are very important in the workplace. The way they are used or permitted in the work environment can either increase workers’ productivity or decrease it. Admittance of adequate natural light into the workspace could stimulate the employees’ mood positively. It increases motivation and positivity. Natural light also reduces stress and creates a calmer environment for work. On the other hand, improper admittance of natural light from the sun through the window causes glare, which could distract work and affect concentration.
Artificial light in the workplace aids visibility when natural light is not sufficient. The intensity of artificial lights, however, has an adverse effect on the productivity of workers. When artificial lights are too bright, it causes headaches, eyestrain, drowsiness, and inner weakness, thus affecting the efficiency of workers, thereby reducing their overall productivity. With lighting, the aim is to create an effective balance where the positive effects of both natural lighting and artificial lighting is harnessed to make the working environment conducive and ideal for its employees.
3. Ergonomics of workstation
The kind of furniture you use in your office can be a source of distraction and cause of lack of concentration. Improper furniture pieces can cause pain in the back or neck, thereby resulting in a lack of focus or concentration in the office. It is important to have the right office furniture, such as ergonomic chairs or standing desks. “Ergonomic chairs help to reduce stress, ensure and maintain the perfect seating posture, as well as relieve any nerves. If your work furniture is comfortable, your focus span will be increased, and you will have increased productivity.
4. Acoustics
Noise pollution is another cause of lack of concentration and productivity in the workplace. This is most common in an open-plan office. Noise could be generated from one or more of the following sources: Background noise from technical and mechanical issues in the office, fluctuating sounds from laughter, loud speech, and phones ringing, activity noise from loud footsteps, loud messaging and chat beeps, loud chewing noises and cursing/muttering from colleagues, high frequency sounds from keyboards as people type, etc. Working in a high noise environment could result in tiredness, less motivation, and forgetfulness. Research has shown that noise distraction leads to less productivity and complex task at work becomes more difficult to perform with noise pollution.
For enhanced acoustic quality in your office, the office layout needs to be worked on to avoid noise-related distractions. The office components should be able to provide a suitable acoustic setting. These components include furniture, space, partition composition and height, ceiling material and height, wall materials, treatment, placement and shape, flooring, hanging materials, furnishings, and lighting.
5. Indoor Air Quality: Indoor air quality is yet another factor that affects workers’ productivity. Air pollution affects the health of workers and therefore affects their performance and efficiency in the workplace. Sources of air pollution such as floor-coverings could be removed to improve the indoor air quality. Another way to improve indoor air quality is to supply clean outdoor air.
These are just a few of the many reasons for lack of focus at work. There are other factors that contribute to lack of focus and low productivity in the workplace. As an interior design studio, the factors, and recommendations above are from an interior design perspective. Therefore, there is a need to hire a professional interior designer to investigate your office space or work environment to assess the condition of the space/environment and make the necessary adjustments or changes. Why not contact Fiona Philips Design Studio today?
