How to Decorate Your Office for Productivity

Do you catch yourself often getting distracted throughout the work day? You may be surprised to find that your office decor is partly to blame. While there are several different factors that contribute to your lack of productivity (did someone say free doughnuts in the kitchen?), there are solutions to combating that mid-day lull. Here are five easy steps to transforming your office to a bustling, productive workspace:

1. Set the color tone of your office - While not all companies will allow you to change the color of your office walls, there are ways to incorporate a color scheme to your desk space. Posters, photos and personal trinkets of similar colors can all help to set the mood. Here's what some different shades can do for you:

a. Blue - A stable and calming color, Blue can help you focus on the task at hand.

b. Green - If your job has you working long hours, Green can be your savior. It does not cause eye fatigue and helps you remain calm and efficient at the same time.

c. Yellow - Yellow is known as a bright, happy color and can help stimulate creativity.

d. Red - If your work requires you to be physically active, then Red is the color for you. Red has been shown to increase your heart rate, blood flow and invoke emotion and passion.

2. Add plants - Especially if your office lacks windows, what better way to add some nature into your daily workday than some greenery! A study from 2013 found that having plants at your desk helps increase productivity and cognitive attention. Not only that, but they help filter the air to remove mold and bacteria too!

3. Keep your desk organized - This one seems like a given but a clean desk leads to a clearer mind. Make it a habit to decrease the clutter around your desk and on your desktop too! Once you develop a good system, you'll find you spend less time looking for that one file or paper you need and more time focusing on what you need to accomplish.

4. Change the lighting - It's been observed that the glare from your computer or the shine from the overhead fluorescent lighting in your office can cause headaches and trigger migraines in certain people. According to recent studies, natural light improves workplace performance. One of the best things you can do is replace harsh fluorescent lights with energy-saving bulbs that mimic natural light. It also doesn't hurt to open the window shades every now and then either!

5. Turn your office into an active space - Finally, probably the best way to boost your productivity is to shake up your sitting routine! A new study suggests that standing can boost productivity for some employees by a whopping 46%! Get in the habit of being active by adding a sit-stand desk to your office. Fellowes recently launched the Lotus Sit-Stand Workstation that features Smooth Lift Technology. It makes moving from sitting to standing effortless and can be placed right over your current desk!