If you are fortunate enough to have your own personal office space, then you have a unique condition: a space of your own that, while it ultimately remains integral to the company, is still yours and yours alone.
You have a blank canvas on which you can cultivate your own setting, encouraging your own success and that of others who come through your office door.
Here are a few unique things you can do to personalize your office space while still remaining professional.
The Desk Name Plate
First things first, you need to let everyone know whose office this is, and the best way to do that is with a straightforward desk statement.
Get a personalized desk name plate from a provider like Imprint Plus. They offer excellent deals on customizable office desk name plates (as well as name badges and other sorts of signage).
They offer quality at great prices so you can start off on the right foot when personalizing your office.
Surround Yourself with Experiences and Memories
Next and arguably most important (especially since the door might say your name anyway) is to tell the tale of your life, loved ones, and career (if that’s something you want to do).
Frame photos of friends and loved ones (pets included) and hang them on the walls or on your desk.
If that’s too familiar to you, tell the tale of how you got to where you are. Photos from college, travels you’ve taken, or other important professional milestones are perfect, too.
Celebrate Achievements
Another thing you can do to make your office your own is to celebrate personal achievements such as professional certifications, university degrees, or professional awards you have received over the years.
Show these off in a place of pride. Framed achievements can be hung on the walls whereas awards and trophies can be placed at the corners of your desk, on shelves, or in bookcases – wherever you believe they will have the greatest effect.
Make Use of Light
The next step is to light your office in a manner that is appropriate for your professional mood and acumen.
Many professionals prefer a bright, well-lit space – whereas others prefer a slightly more intimate work setting with appropriate mood lighting.
Moreover, overhead fluorescent lighting, while common in offices, is harsh, cold, and sterile, and has an undeniably clinical feel.
The simple addition of a desk lamp with a warmer color-temperature light can make your space feel more inviting – which can impact your mood and even make you more productive.
Post Your Goals Somewhere
This is a highly personal suggestion – but it might be an effective technique for some.
Your goals or self-affirmations can be a powerful tool in driving your actions toward success. Posting them where you can see them daily serves as an equally powerful reminder of your “why” for being where you are – and getting where you want to go.
For some, this highly personal suggestion should be slightly more private. You don’t need to post your goals front and center – but put them somewhere they will be visible to you.
Eliminate Clutter
Last but not least, it’s been said that “a cluttered workspace is the progenitor to a cluttered mind.” Or perhaps it’s said that “clutter begets clutter.” Whichever way you quote it, the theme is consistent.
This just means eliminating clutter – which is not the same as organizing. Organizing is what you do at the outset. Eliminating clutter is an active process of not allowing things to pile up.
This falls in line with the philosophy that you should “never put off till tomorrow what you can do today,” and it can make you more productive and less stressed.