Deck up your work desk

Think about it — We power dress ourselves for career success, whether it’s the perfect slouched startup-ready jeans, or the razor-sharp boardroom-ready suit. We spritz on that lucky-day perfume or that coveted watch, the one that gives us an extra burst of confidence. We polish up our look with the perfect arm candy.

While all of these define our personality, we shouldn’t forget that our spaces are reflections of who we are. Our spaces influence who we are, and our behaviour. This has a huge bearing on our creativity, performance and mental well-being.

For most of us, one of the spaces where we spend the most amount of time is our desks. We plonk our creative, ambitious minds down at desks for more than 35 per cent of our lives, desks that are sometimes drab, devoid of our personality, and creatively un-inspiring. Desks that should probably be spaces where our souls are stirred and our minds at their best. Desks that could use some power-dressing and design, desks that inspire you to do your best right in the middle of the 9-to-whine.

Here are five ideas on how you can give up your pale gray, and white slabs for some rejuvenated desks that can put a smile on your face even on the most dreaded of Monday mornings:

Small tabletop plants: Not only do they add freshness to the atmosphere and reduce pollution levels, but also help in lowering stress levels, and recovering from demanding activities.

 Lamps: Who said mood lighting is only for your living room? Adding some warm lighting to your desk infuses positivity. There are various colourful and quirky ones available try and get a customised one to add a pop of colour. Whether you’re burning the midnight oil or looking to add an incandescent glow to your work space, lampshades are a great way to add a touch of vibrant art.

 Photos: Keep a few photos of your near and dear ones  make sure to keep one from that crazy night out with your pals  it sure will make you laugh after that meeting that didn’t go too well.

Colourful Stationery: You’re all for new technology, but you believe nothing beats the old pen and paper when it comes to doodling, ideation, to-do lists, quick notes, random notes, process flow charts, and all other things in between. You’re the sort that starts sketching when you need to think, and you’ve probably piled up your fair share of work notebooks. Say good-bye to boring black and white notebooks. Put the snazzy back in stationery with gorgeously designed funky and artsy journals and see ideas flow in like never before.

 Stay Organised: Clutter leads to distraction  therefore use organisers like memo boxes and pen holders. Dressing up your desk can be fun, easy, and very rewarding. You’ll also, no doubt, have a colleague or two see their work days perk up with some added desk flair! Gorgeous desk art and generous cups of coffee and tea do their bit in making every day that little bit more great. I hope your desk inspires you to keep the magic happening!

(The writer is a city-based interior design expert and entrepreneur )