Tips for Creating a Peaceful Workspace

With so many changes in technology and in the workplace these days, more and more people are working in environments that are incredibly challenging.  The ability to have a private conversation,  be in a quiet, UNINTERRUPTED environment to think or create, or view of the outdoors is difficult to arrange. Even if we like our jobs and enjoy our coworkers, our work environment itself may hamper our ability to operate at our peak capacity.

Working in a peaceful space can maximize our productivity. While we may not be able to move into the “ideal” workspace, we can make efforts to personalize and recreate our space and make it a refuge from some of the daily stresses and craziness.

Something as simple as keeping in view a meaningful picture or memento can spark a positive feeling when we need it most.

Consider the following tips for creating that peaceful workspace:

Create a Space That is Ours — It does not have to be large but it needs to have something that reflects us.  Even if we share the space we can personalize it by placing photos and objects that evoke a sense of peace and tranquility.

Drown Out the Noise —  If we need to focus on our work and the din of the office distracts us we can wear noise-cancelling headphones or earbuds to listen to music, nature sounds, or “white noise.”

Take Periodic Pauses Throughout the Day —  Set a timer as a reminder to stop what we are doing, take few “cleansing” breaths, stretch, and then return to our task.  Breathing deeply and visualizing a beach, the mountains, or a lake can help restore a feeling of calm, as can sitting erect and breathing slowly through our nose, paying attention to our breath.

Expand our Workplace — Step outside (or look outside the window) during coffee or lunch breaks. When back in the office, reflect on what we saw (a garden, a tree, a sculpture) and bring the image with us in our mind’s eye.  Each day, we can focus on a different spot so that we can bring a “new view” to work.  This can help us find a different perspective to a challenging work issue, or give us a fresh way to problem solve.

There are lots of ways to enhance our work environment to reflect ourselves, our preferences, and create calm as a space to become more creative and focused.