A work environment that works for you
Our journey around The Wheel of Overwhelm begins with a look at how we set ourselves up for success by creating the best environment possible.
We are focusing on one area that can impact our sense of overwhelm - the physical quality of our workspace.
Whether it's your open-plan office, where you work with clients or working from home, our environment matters.
I used to work at the Arts Centre in Melbourne. I loved coming into that building in the morning—the rich colours and textures, the artwork. It gave me a profound sense of joy. And as silly as this sounds, having the lanyard that gave me access to its inner sanctum made me feel special and like I belonged. It is something I have experienced in other workplaces as well.
And I have also had the opposite experience. I remember working in a cramped office that always felt a little grubby, had no natural light and old, poorly maintained equipment. We were lucky that there wasn't good airflow as it meant that the smell from the nearby waste disposal area would only occasionally send its unique gifts our way.
And since the pandemic, employees not in a face-to-face service role have also added their home as a place of work - first from necessity, now from choice. I remember when anyone who wanted to work from home had to undergo a physical inspection of their home office to ensure it was up to safety standards. Now we seem more relaxed about where we work from - the kitchen table, the lounge, the cafe down the road, the beach.
A new area of study, neuroaesthetics, demonstrates how the physical design of the working environment can change brain chemistry and help people be more focused, productive and happier.
We all have things we love and hate about working in a shared space. The sights, sounds and smells of our co-workers activities can be distracting to some, while others thrive on the buzz of the busy office environment.
So creating a variety of spaces where people can get what they need, when they need it is key to good design. Areas to meet and collaborate. Places for deep thinking and individual work. Digital spaces. Areas for analog work. And it can be beneficial to have a way to transition between these areas that triggers changed expectations of work-styles.
And don't overlook places for reflection and restoration - best achieved by some connection with nature, even if it is just healthy potted plants. (There is nothing more depressing than watching office plants wither and die)
“Some people look for a beautiful place. Others make a place beautiful. ”
While it may not be possible for us to control the design of our workspaces, organisations struggling to get their staff back into the office might want to consider just how inviting and useful their spaces are.
Working from home brings many of the same challenges, especially if there is more than one of you trying to work or just live there. Or if your space is limited.
As well as thinking about the design, I have worked with some people whose environment is very cluttered. And they say they like it that way. They tell you not to move anything because they know where everything is. I don't understand these people. I think they are kidding themselves. But, I could be wrong.
And while my office space is not like an advert for Minimalist Office Monthly, there is desktop visible. And I know when things are starting to overwhelm me because the office gets messier. To set things straight again, sets my world a little more to right.
So think about the environment that works best for you and do what you can. Maybe it's leaving the busyness of the open plan office to go to the park across the road for a while, bringing in a plant, working from home, keeping things tidy, or finding somewhere unusual that's good for your team to brainstorm. There may be more ways to find the space you need than you first thought.
I'd love to hear about what you do to set up or find the environment that doesn't add to feeling overwhelmed at work.