Our physical environment has a huge impact on our well-being. Considering that living and working areas are intertwined, especially with our business life mostly moving from home and mobile working order, the importance to be given to this issue is increasing day by day. Now, our work spaces are spread over almost every area of ​​our living spaces. Our mental space is directly proportional to our perception of the physical space. Special cells in the Hippocampal regions of our brain adapt to the geometry and arrangement of the spaces we live in. To put it in simpler terms, sometimes we can't get our heads together, but sometimes we can work extremely concentrated. The main reason for this is that we experience the effect of space on our thinking system, consciously or unconsciously, in our daily life. In this article, we will examine the key factors that affect productivity and well-being and how these factors drive interior design. A well-designed venue; It supports safety, social communication, ease of movement and sensory stimulation. Do you believe you will get a good night's sleep if you fall asleep in your bedroom with the lights on and the TV on? The same can be said for our workspaces. It's pretty hard to have an efficient work pace if it's located in a dingy, cluttered and unlighted basement. For a space that encourages your happy, creative and productive energy, your workspace needs to be optimized so that you can be more efficient and productive.

The first of the 4 factors that we need to examine in an efficient working environment;

1. Spatial arrangement and volume

It is very important to evaluate all the components in the interior separately. But most important of all is the interrelationship and functionality of the components. Because the settlement allows our movement area and the meaning attributed to that area in the simplest sense. Have you ever wondered why the executive room is the largest size in most offices? This issue may not be entirely related to seniority. For example, larger spaces with high ceilings encourage creative/high-level thinking and tasks compared to small volume spaces. This is an important criterion for organizing and scheduling workspaces to optimize productivity and well-being. If a venue can't serve you, rethink the layout. Can you get in and out of the venue easily? Do you get from one place to another by wandering through your belongings frequently? Is the room calm and serene, or overstuffed and messy? You may have loaded too many items in your space or you can solve your problems by rearranging your furniture. Be creative and try new layouts that will functionally work for you. Sometimes you can't even imagine how spacious a smart new arrangement with the same furniture will feel.

2.Loud

Unless you are alone, you can listen to Traffic sound, other people's speech sounds, etc. We can call any sound coming from the background other than you, noise. If you work outdoors, for example in a cafe, the conversation of a couple chatting next to you or the sounds of children is not only annoying and distracting, but also the most difficult noise to adjust. Try to find a quiet place while you work on your most important and challenging tasks to block out background noise from others. If that's not an option, you can invest in noise canceling headphones or download an app like White Noise. There are many more options for preventing external noise in your work area at home. You can minimize the noise by using sound-insulating wall coverings, insulated curtains and sound-absorbing materials in the entire space.

3. Color and lighting

Light is one of the most important elements that affect how we perceive a space. It has the ability to significantly affect the function of the space and how effective it is. The source of light, whether artificial or natural, directly affects our lives. It is an undeniable fact that we spend most of our time indoors in our business life and climatic conditions. No matter how much we illuminate the place with artificial light sources, we need to add natural lighting to the space in order to meet the natural light need of our body. According to research led by Alan Hedge, Professor in Cornell University's Department of Design and Environmental Analysis, it was found that those working in daylight office environments reported an 84 percent reduction in symptoms of eyestrain, headaches and blurred vision, which can reduce productivity. In addition, it was revealed that the productivity of employees sitting by the window increased by 2%.

Use sheer or light shades of curtains to take advantage of daylight as much as possible. Prefer spaces with large windows. Spending most of the day in these parts will strengthen your natural energy. If your window density is insufficient, take care to use as light tones as possible throughout the space. Light tones allow the light to diffuse by reflection, while dark tones absorb the light and prevent you from benefiting. Open your windows every morning to let in air and natural light. Position your workspace near windows. Another important type of lighting that should be considered indoors and that greatly affects our health is blue light. According to studies conducted at the University of Greenwich, those who work under "blue-enriched bulbs" have been observed to "feel happier, more alert, and have less eye strain. They prefer blue-enriched bulbs with 17000 K in areas without access to natural light to support focus and mental activation. you can. Choose the right color for your business as well as the right lighting. Observe your surroundings, what colors dominate your space? Do they make you feel calm and relaxed or nervous and anxious? Change the colors that you think negatively affect you. Even a small color clean or update to a space will greatly improve the overall feel of the space.

You can also benefit from chromotherapy for color selection. According to chromotherapy, for example, because red is a stimulant, it is very suitable for those who work in physically demanding jobs. Blue and green are calming and promote concentration, so they are ideal for office workers. Yellow is an excellent choice for innovators and entrepreneurs as it stimulates creativity. Purple, light green, red and dark green reflect a more contemplative mood, but can evoke a sense of comfort when applied in minimal amounts.

4. Ergonomy

Poorly designed workspaces can adversely affect your back, hands, wrists and joints, leading to many health problems. A chair, table, etc. that is not suitable for your size. equipment makes you feel exhausted and in pain. Sometimes even a little pain can lower your productivity. Considering all these reasons, ergonomics, which investigates the arrangement of work areas in accordance with human health, is one of the issues that must be examined in terms of focus and productivity.

Here are a few ways to ergonomically update workspaces:

• Use an ergonomic chair, for this, make sure that the lumbar support, seat depth, chair height, armrests, back curve and material are suitable for your body.

• Position your computer screen correctly using a display or laptop support.

• Hold your monitor or laptop in front of you between 50 cm and 101.6 cm.

• Make sure the top line of the screen is at or below eye level.

• How you set up your monitor is also important.

• Poor placement can cause eyestrain, incorrect posture, shoulder problems and more.

• Make sure the keyboard and mouse are close enough to your body.

• Keep your hand, wrist and forearm aligned when using your mouse; palm rest can also help in this situation.

• Keep your desk as tidy, simple and clean as possible. Keep decorations and personal items minimal. In this way, your attention will be completely directed to your work.

5. Ventilation

The clean and fresh air of a natural place is one of the most important factors that affect our mood, focus and physical body. It is often impossible to feel the air-conditioning offered by the natural space in an artificial environment. For this, whether there is a ventilation system in your place or not, ventilate the place as often as you can, Make sure to check the humidity levels. Let fresh air flow through your window several times a day. In places where natural ventilation cannot be provided, you can obtain moisture balance devices. A balanced indoor air humidity prevents skin from becoming dry or dehydrated, reducing the risk of infection and transmission of viruses and bacteria, and is also great for sinus health. Before you revisit these important factors that affect focus and productivity, as well as our quality of life, here are some questions to ask yourself:

• Is my workspace interesting?

• Does my workplace encourage collaboration?

• Does my office space increase my productivity?

If you answered no to any of these questions, it's time to organize your workspaces. Stay up to date with our new content to increase your awareness of your space and your quality of life with Therapinterior. In addition, you can forward all your questions and suggestions to us without hesitation.

Resources:

• https://view.com/sites/default/files/documents/research-brief-daylight-and-the-workplace.pdf

• https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/3-factors-define-how-any-space-affects-productivity-well-banerjee

• https://heritagedesigninteriors.com/how-interior-design-impacts-your-mental-health/

• https://galaxydraperies.com/psychology-interior-design-decor-affect-emotions/

• https://www.calendar.com/blog/how-much-does-your-workspace-affect-your-productivity/

• https://www.totallivingconcepts.com/forgotten-workspace-elements-for-better-focus-and-clarity/