There’s no denying that your office and desk act as a second home (no matter how cringy that sounds). Whether you work at home or you need to go to a corporate institution, by enlivening your desk area you would make work a whole lot of fun. That’s right! It’s hard enough having to stare at the flashy screen all day and do tedious paperwork, by decorating your desk at work, you will create your little safe heaven which would soothe your eyes and help you “escape” reality.
As most people tend to spend most of their working hours by their desks, decorating it the way you desire should be your number one priority. And luckily for you, that doesn’t have to be an expensive endeavor. On the contrary, nowadays, you can find frugal, imaginative ways to make your desk area feel more inviting and personal. Here are the top (and cheap) ways you can spruce up your desk at work and become more productive.
1. Play with hues
Your desk at work is probably either pale white, black, or gray. If you are lucky enough to have a hardwood desk, you are in for a real treat. But in most cases office desks are, let’s face it, boring. One of the easiest and cheapest ways to decorate your desk at work is by adding a pop of color. There’s no need to splash a multitude of various colors, but pairing a basic desk with eye-catching accessories in bold and vivacious colors would surely spark up your day. Go for a miniature wall mural in bright pink or yellow hues, or try placing a purple or navy cushion for your desk chair. Another great idea implies breaking the boring whites and blacks with a red or orange mousepad or pencil case. Don’t forget to use patterned or textured picture frames.
2. Place vivacious plants
Placing glorious greens or fresh blooms can significantly upscale your mood at work and raise your performance. Besides contributing to uplifting your behavior, fresh flowers or green plants can utterly brighten up your desk. You could either get a beautiful flower bouquet every day to maximally revive your desk at work and make the smell of fresh blooms keep you uplifted through the day, or get some common plants. There are a plethora of small office plants that can warm up a cubicle or workspace. You can get the classic cute succulent, a small snake plant, a stunning cactus, or any other air-purifying plant that will bring a small to your face. Make sure that you get funky pots such as golden cubed or metallic circled ones. Whether you opt for fresh flowers or small plants, adding greens to your desk is another cheap way to spruce the ambient up.
3. Switch utilities
Looking at and using the same pencil can also make you feel worn out without even noticing. What’s more, drinking coffee from a plain old mug each morning can negatively impact your performance. Instead of using a company cup or a plain white one, switch to a colorful one that fits your character and style better. Most psychologists advise using mugs with various motivational and power quotes. This would undoubtedly brighten up your day and transform your desk space. Next, try switching a company pen with a colorful one. The same goes for your storage containers, files, and folders. Get a funky but sleek pencil holder, avocado USB drive, etc. You can also ditch the company’s tedious diary and go for a vivid personalized planner where you would note down all the important items. Don’t settle for ordinary, but opt for switching small items you use at work with a versatile version.
4. Add funky wall art
Art doesn’t have to be expensive. If you want something totally frugal you can merely hang a photo wire and attach your personal photos, but if you are searching for something more imaginative but also inexpensive, here are a few ideas. First, you can get photo frames in various sizes and patterns and place photos of your loved ones to remind yourself of life outside work. This is far better than hanging them on a simple wire. Secondly, you can use those same frames, or get larger ones (preferably in a different color) and print yourself some inspiring quotes that will help you survive to the end of the day and get you motivated. Lastly, one of the most amazing and cheapest ways to decorate your office wall is to install a wall grid panel. Here you can place or hang whatever your heart desires. Use bulldog paper clips to hang notes or photos, hang various memorabilia, pin recipes, and any other decorative accent that will transform your working ambient.
5. Blend different styles
It’s fair to note that your desk area at work doesn’t have to comply with company rules (unless it’s stated otherwise in your working contract). This implies that you don’t need to have one same, boring file holder, etc. Invigorate your working desk by going for something modern and sleek. If you prefer the contemporary style, you can place exquisite vases, ultra-modern globe lamps, or avant-garde clocks. Try going for a style that fits your personality and elicits the traditional desk. Pair up a modern desk with retro artwork and details and use fun coasters, attach a pin or magnet board and use multicolored magnets to place notes and information. Just because you need to have a special design desk, that doesn’t mean your accessories need to match. Combine different styles, use various patterns and textures, and get creative.
6. Declutter and organize
Piled-up papers, clutter at the desk, and messy surroundings cause stress and anxiety. Before you vamp up your desk at work with petite details and lovely embellishments, you need to organize it and make it functional. If you strive to be productive at work, you cannot have a sophisticated vase and a pile of paper wraps and junk all around. The best decorative methods imply clearing out the clutter and throwing away all the things around you that serve minimal or no purpose. For instance, use one notebook or diary instead of two or three, get one practical acrylic document holder instead of keeping your documents and files around you, place your documents in an elegant and organizational letter tray, wash your previous coffee mug instead of using a new one, and don’t leave behind your breakfast or lunch. Clutter can make anybody feel apprehensive, even if you don’t notice that an organizational and clean desk exudes productivity.
7. Illuminate the area adequately
One of the niftiest office decorative hacks entail having appropriate illumination. Although it’s not possible to select your office if you work for a large company, you can redesign and do whatever you wish at your own desk, especially if you work at home. Having your special desk at work gives you the unique chance to decorate it how you wish, and sometimes the easiest and cheapest way to do that is by placing adequate lighting features. Illumination and especially natural light, play a vital role in determining the practicality and effectiveness of your working environment. If you cannot replace or move your poorly lit desk at work, try placing a decorative marble table lamp that exudes soft but appropriate lighting. The key is to get a task light for the desk and look for special bulbs that mimic natural light and soothe the eyes. If you have some natural light, then don’t place curtains but use up all the light you can get because natural light lifts people’s mood and boosts productivity.
8. Get the right furniture and equipment
Very often the reason why we don’t feel comfortable at our desks at work is due to bad performance. And the result of poor performance vastly has to do with poor office furniture. You would have more energy to work and will decorate your office premises if you feel ecstatic and healthy, so if you strive to boost performance you need to get adequate furniture pieces. Aim to get ergonomic furniture like chairs and desks. By obtaining a quality and professional ergonomic chair, for example, you will get full support for your body in all the right places and hugely prevent pain in your neck, back, or limbs. What’s more, by getting a height-adjustable desk, you will be able to spend a portion of your work standing, which would get you moving your body (because sitting for eight hours straight is a silent killer). Even though you are looking for frugal ways to decorate your working ambient when it comes to furniture and equipment- never settle for ordinary. Hence, it’s essential to use the fastest and most eloquent gadgets, such as a computer mouse and keyboards. These seemingly unimportant things make your working day seem worthwhile.
There you have it- 8 amazing but cheap ways you can decorate your desk at work to boost performance and alleviate productivity. Don’t let the desk surrounding be the reason for your poor action, and apply some of the above-mentioned tips.
