Introduction
There seems to be a growing trend of those who just want to come into work, take care of business, and leave at the end of their shift, interacting with co-workers as little as possible.
To employees of this variety, the office is just a place to do your work, nothing more, nothing less.
And there’s nothing wrong with this approach. But it also doesn’t leave much room for enjoying your work and your place of work.
It’s absolutely possible to both enjoy your time in the office while also completing tasks and meeting deadlines.
And it all starts with your workspace itself, and how you can make it a much more enjoyable environment.
So if you’ve been wondering how to make your office space look fun yet professional, check out our suggestions below.
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The Importance of Personality
The first step is to tap into a source of inspiration that will guide the redesign of your office or workspace.
Try not to get too abstract with this part of the process. Keep it simple. Ask yourself what your interests are. Make a brief list of the things that make you happy.
Personal hobbies can be a great source of inspiration. Don’t be afraid to let your co-workers know, through your office space, that you, for example, play an instrument, illustrate, or that you’re a diehard sports fan.
Try to find small things in your home that both reflect your hobbies and that you wouldn’t mind leaving at work for an extended period of time.
Use a Color Theme
Choosing the colors to use when decorating your workspace should be a relatively easy step.
Just ask yourself which color combinations you tend to gravitate towards.
If you need help coming up with ideas, check out a site like this one that lists out many different color combinations to consider and what they’re typically used for.
Later, as you’re picking out objects and pictures to display in your workspace, keep this color theme in mind.
Even a simple black/white color theme in your office can have a powerful impact on anyone visiting your workspace.
Kick Out the Jams
This idea will be dependent on company rules, so make sure to dust off the old employee handbook before proceeding.
If you have your own office at work, even if it’s a small space, then you have more flexibility when it comes to playing music from your computer.
If you have the option, try to bring in a small Bluetooth speaker that you can keep on your desk.
You’ll be able to listen to upbeat, motivating music that helps you get your tasks done more efficiently. And in the process, you’ll be in a better mood overall and more prepared to face challenges.
Just always be sure to be courteous of your co-workers. Don’t play music or podcasts so loudly that it will disturb the office as a whole.
You may even want to use the Bluetooth speaker to play ambient nature sounds to give your workspace a more relaxing feel.
A Place for Everything and Everything in its Place
Your office space will never feel fun or professional if it doesn’t stay organized.
Keeping your workspace organized will help you create positive associations with your place of work and your job in general.
Even more important, you’ll be less likely to misplace files and objects necessary for your work.
If you don’t know where to start when it comes to getting your workspace organized, check out this article on tools you can use to keep your documents and devices neat and tidy.
The Classic Candy Bowl
If your office receives a lot of visitors, then you may want to put out a small bowl of candy. It’s a fun way to make your workspace more appealing and inviting.
The most difficult part of having candy in your office is to resist the urge to eat all of it yourself. You might even want to replace the candy with mints to help prevent overindulgence.
An Indoor Plant
Several scientific studies have suggested that looking at something green can help someone improve their mood.
It’s just another reason why houseplants can make a great addition to your workspace.
Try to find a small potted plant that does well in full shade. Many houseplants only need to be watered about once a week. This should make it easy to care for in an office setting.
On top of all that, a plant can clean the air around you. A flowering plant will treat you to colorful blossoms about once a year.
Just make sure that if you go on vacation for more than a week that you ask a co-worker to care for the plant while you’re gone.
Some Stylish Posters
To make your workspace feel a bit more familiar, interesting, and fun, start searching for some stylish posters that you can hang in your office.
If you’re looking for movie posters, we recommend searching for alternate-art movie posters from sites like Mondo.
Even fan-made posters tend to be more visually interesting and can serve as better conversation starters in the workplace.
Closing
Of course, in the end, how you’d like to make your office space look more fun is up to you. Follow your interests to different ideas.
If you find yourself questioning some of your office decoration ideas, then feel free to ask friends or co-workers as to whether it would be appropriate for the workplace.
For example, even if you’re a huge sports fan, it probably wouldn’t be a good idea to bring in a framed, autographed team jersey and hang it on the wall of your office or cubicle.
As an alternative, try to find a bobblehead of one of your favorite players. It will take up less space while still giving you something pleasant to look at when first coming into work in the morning.
A well-decorated office space will help start conversations with your co-workers and make you more excited to come into work in the morning.
If you’re looking for even more ways to have fun with your co-workers, check out this article on fun workplace Friday ideas.
