When you spend more than 40 hours a week at your desk, it is important to make it yours. Pictures, lighting, cartoons, calendars – these are all easy ways to put your stamp on your space. But just as your clothes at work give an impression of you, the way you decorate and organize your desk offers some impressions of its own. Get real and professional with these tips to personalize your workspace.
Work with what you have
Chances are, you don’t have much control over your cubicle furniture. However, you might be surprised at how much difference small details can make. Rather than setting your computer aside like everyone else, try opening up some desk space by placing the monitor in the corner. That ugly guest chair in your workspace? Bring a small, tasteful pillow in a matching color to dress it up a bit, and angle the chair instead of snapping it into the corner to make it more attractive.
Comfort counts
The fluorescent lights that grace most offices are not particularly flattering and are horrible to look at, especially when you spend a lot of time staring at a computer. Incandescent and full-spectrum lights can add a personal touch to your desk and can increase your comfort and productivity, and are an inexpensive way to add a bit of personality to a drab cube.
Kill the mess
If your desk is cluttered, you will give the impression of being clueless or disorganized. Use colorful folders, stackable entry boxes, and funky plates and jars to keep clutter contained and show off your style. Modern designed glass jars make great pen glasses, garage sale saucers and small bowls are great for holding clips and rubber bands, and ladder-style binder holders will keep everything in view and off your surface. of work. This will help keep the focus on you, not your cluttered desk.
Personal, up to a point
The photos of you and your boyfriend out to dinner are great; pictures of you and your boyfriend on the beach? Probably more of you (and him) than your coworkers want to see. Pictures of you and your friends on a girls’ night out are super fun; pictures of you and your friends making barrels? He’s definitely not the person you want to exude in the office. The same goes for decorative picture frames with alcoholic, lazy or illegal themes. As a general rule of thumb, if you don’t want your grandmother or a complete stranger to look at you too closely, it shouldn’t be at your desk.
Good taste is equivalent
A pretty wall calendar is a little touch that can really make your workspace feel like it’s yours. When decorating, remember that although it is technically your desk, it is open to other people all day, every day, when they are simply going about their daily life, and people will definitely notice if there is something disturbing in their area. Calendars with sexy, well-oiled models are definitely a no. A puppy or kitten calendar can be very cute at home, but it can make you look childish at work. Artwork or artistic photographs are your safest bet, or if you really want to impress, one of those inspiring calendars that exhorts the value of perseverance and teamwork will show everyone how entrepreneurial and motivated you are.
Leave politics at home
As much as you love your particular political candidate, not everyone will feel the same way. If you work for a very conservative company but are enthusiastic about an extremely liberal politician, or if you are ultra-conservative in a super laid-back environment, for example, your co-workers and superiors may be uncomfortable with open political views in the form of politics. -Stickers, buttons and cartoons oriented to bumpers. Speak your mind, but keep the controversy to a minimum.
Think outside the bucket
You don’t have to have a green thumb to bring a little nature to your workspace. Plants like ferns, bonsai trees, and some types of lilies work very well indoors. If you have a window near your desk, so much the better. Having plants in your work area has been shown to relieve stress in addition to sprucing up the space, so you have nothing to lose. Just be careful not to overdo it – two plants are enough.
If you’re still not sure what to do to decorate your desk, take a look at the cubes and offices around you and take note of what you like, what makes you uncomfortable, and what seems to work really well for other people. . Take the same caution when decorating your workspace as decorating yourself, and decorating your desk will be a breeze.
* Kristen originally published this article in the now defunct Yearned for Los Angeles in June 2005 and retains copyright.
