Your work is your livelihood. You take great pride in what you do and how you do it. Every day you make a contribution to your reputation in your chosen field, and inch ever closer to your career goals. However, while your skills, perseverance and commendable work ethic are all important factors propelling you towards success, you should underestimate the importance of your workspace at your peril.

Whether you’re a freelancer working from home (or anywhere else) or a busy executive hunkered down in a maximum-security business facility, you need to ensure that your office space is a temple of productivity. A place where you can feel relaxed and avoid stress as you work which is also highly conducive to operational efficiency and personal productivity.

And if your productivity is plummeting, maybe the time has come to rethink your office space. Here are some tips for reconfiguring your workspace to send productivity soaring…

Embrace Color Coding

Productivity and efficiency go hand in hand. So anything you can do to improve compartmentalization and access to files, equipment etc. should be embraced. As you can see from some of this medical office equipment, color coding can be a powerful way to improve productivity by making your personal processes more efficient. Sure, it might take a while to come up with a system that works for your specific needs, but the time you invest today will more than make up for itself tomorrow.

Clear Away Clutter

It’s completely understandable that in a busy office, it’s not always easy to be able to put everything back where you found it how you found it after use. However, when you consistently leave papers, stationery and other equipment lying around after use, you risk creating a cluttered working environment. While you may joke to your colleagues about your highly idiosyncratic filing system, the truth is that a chaotic office and desk can not only stifle your productivity, it can have a negative impact on your mental health and make you feel more stressed.

Let There Be (Natural) Light

Beware the blinds! Natural light is highly conducive to relaxation, wellbeing and productivity. There’s a reason why they call it the ultimate office perk. But many of us close the blinds and work in shadow. If you’re worried about glare on your computer screen, invest in a glare protector to fit over your monitor.

Embrace the Power of Plants… in as Many Ways as Possible

Office plants can be highly conducive to concentration, focus and feelings of wellbeing. But that’s not the only way you can make plants boost your productivity. Make sure you pack a lunch containing some of these brain-power, memory and focus boosting plant based foods. If you’re too busy to cook and prepare a nutritious lunch, try blending fruits and veggies into a smoothie. One thing’s for sure, nobody ever achieved peak productivity while munching on McDonald’s!

Smells like Productivity!

Finally, an office that’s productivity boosting is about more than what you can see. Scent also plays an important part. So be sure to keep an essential oil diffuser on your desk. Peppermint and citrus oils are great for improving focus and productivity.