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Clare Kumar

Powering Up Productivity & Pleasure

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poppin

Spring Clearing Series – An inspiring, comfortable office is a productive office

3 min read

This post is sponsored by Staples Canada. As always, opinions are my own.

I had the pleasure of touring to a few cities in Canada this spring to share ways to be more productive this season. Not only do we need to think about being productive in how we accomplish what we want to do, it pays to find solutions which are as effective and efficient as possible. I gathered a few ideas which provide one-stop shopping or deliver complete solutions for you, and in this five blog series, I’ll share the benefits of each one.

 

Happier workers are more productive

As you might imagine, several studies1 validate the premise that happier workers are more productive. In fact, somewhere between 10 and 20% more productive. One analysis suggests that “Workplaces with ‘very satisfied’ employees had higher labour productivity, higher quality of output, and higher overall performance.”2 In fact, small shifts in well-being are directly correlated to big shifts in performance.3

 

Productivity can be pretty. Standout supplies from Staples Canada.

 

So, what keeps people happy at work?

Our happiness is influenced by a wide variety of things including

  1. personal experience – core beliefs and values, genetics, age, gender, personality, temperament and preferences, and health
  2. family and social circumstance
  3. what happens while at work – the people, events, culture, and environments involved

Digging further into happiness at work there are a huge number of influencers including role clarity, value alignment, relationships with colleagues, the level of autonomy we experience, the opportunity for personal growth, and the physical office environment. Most people work best in a well-organized, inspiring space.

 

3 ways to create a productive and pleasing workspace

1. Personalize Your Space

Choosing decorative and functional elements in palettes and finishes that reflect your personal tastes can make your workspace more inviting. Staples Canada, rebranding in early 2019 as “The Working and Learning Company”, understands that.

Crayon bar at Staples Canada, University Avenue, Toronto.

Pop into the flagship store in downtown Toronto, and you’ll find a bright, airy, membership-based co-working space, auditorium and invitingly laid out shopping experience. Explore the venue to find a robust stationery section complete with an ample selection of journals, pen bar, and inviting bins of crayons in a multitude of colours. You can’t miss the full-service print shop and a significant “Tech Discovery Zone”.

 

What really stands out though are the office space vignettes. Staples has partnered with design icon Joe Mimran to create 10 stylish Workspaces from colourful to retro to a gamer’s dream, making it easier for you to picture what you might create in your space. Here are a couple of examples:

 

white desk, white chair, black floor lamp, black desk lamp, wall clock
The “Keep It Simple” office vignette at Staples Canada

 

 

white desk, black chair, coral office storage, wall clocks, umbra hook
The vibrant “Live In Colour” office vignette at Staples Canada

 

As you might guess from the way I dress and the way I decorated my condo, I love colour with a bit of glam. Here are a few treasures I picked to show off on tour:

Swingline Stapler

 

white and gold stapler
Swingline stapler, so elegant in white and gold.

 

Nifty Keyboard

pink keyboard with raised keys
This pretty in pink keyboard from Nifty makes keyboarding practice more fun.

 

Poppin creates an assortment of desk accessories to get you both organized and energized.

Turquoise file sorter

 

file sorter turquoise
Energizing turquoise Poppin document holder.

 

 

Gold Pencil pouch

gold pencil case
Dazzling gold Poppin pencil pouch

2. Green it up!

Studies of offices in the UK and The Netherlands revealed that plants in the office boosted productivity up to 15% while increasing both engagement and satisfaction. 4

plants in office space
Adding plants is a low-cost way to improve the quality of your workspace.

 

Earlier this week I visited a branch of a major bank. There was plenty of brand-based colour but little else that might have been deemed decorative in the space. It lacked soul. I commented that plants would be a lovely addition and the teller pointed to a vertical bundle of brown twigs a few feet away proclaiming, “We have sticks!” Adding plants is a fairly small upfront investment and with a little nurturing can bring continuous healthy energy to your space.

3. Keep your space comfortable

There has been significant debate recently about open versus closed offices, or what I prefer, mixed space environments. As a highly sensitive person, noisy and visually stimulating environments are quite exhausting to me, so as soon as it was possible, I chose to work more of the time from home. Being able to craft my work environment was a huge benefit to me and left me with more energy at the end of the day I could choose to invest in personal wellness, my family or other interests.

 

Clare Kumar at desk in tidy organized home office
Working from a well-organized home office makes for a productive lifestyle.

 

A study reveals that females prefer more light than males. There are also differences in the appreciation of noise and temperature with women preferring higher temperatures and less noise. Yet, there is no variance in preferences for formal / information working environments and the need for mobility. Recommendations from the study suggest that those crafting spaces pay attention to the demographics of their work environments and encourage responding to the needs of those using the space. 5

 

Sources

 

  1. The Connection between happiness and productivity
  2. Worker well-being and performance
  3. Small Shifts in well-being boost performance
  4. Benefits of Plants
  5. Office Innovations to improve happiness and productivity

Filed Under: Business Organizing, Comfort, Home Office, Products Tagged With: desk accessories, home office, office, plants, poppin, productivity, rose gold, staples, staples canada

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Core Chair

Enjoy this code, CHAIRLOVE, to receive a special price for your Core Chair.

Visit the CoreChair website to order. 

In Canada: https://ca.corechair.com/
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Productivity catalyst, highly sensitive executive coach, and speaker, Clare Kumar cultivates sustainable performance in busy professionals so they can keep making rich contributions in all areas of life and achieve greater fulfillment.

She inspires leaders, professionals, employees and entrepreneurs to respect humanity and boost performance through marrying productivity and pleasure. After all, why shouldn’t you have fun while getting things done?

 

From the Blog

LG Home Office Makeover Contest

How to Work with Highly Sensitive People

The ABCs of Behavior Change (TM) – for habits that stick

my dear darling dad i don't see your smiling fac my dear darling dad 

i don't see your smiling face but i feel your caring heart

i don't hear your thoughtful words but i carry your wisdom

i don't hear your laughter but i still make all the wordplays you would have loved

i don't feel your hugs but i feel your love

thirty years is a long time to miss you

you live on for me in every flower i photograph

in every moment of compassion i witness

in every moment i strive to be more like you at your best

i will always miss you even though you are with me

love, your eldest daughter
pretty but poisonous. toxic wild parsnip. grows to pretty but poisonous. toxic wild parsnip. grows to human height. 

don’t touch!
alert - toxic wild parsnip just popped up again in alert - toxic wild parsnip just popped up again in toronto. 

i’ll post a pic next. 

don’t touch it!

#hsp #notice #activate
Free on July 5th at noon EDT? If you're an HSP or Free on July 5th at noon EDT? If you're an HSP or want to learn more about the trait, join me for an open chat about the Happy Space movement to inspire a more inclusive, tender world. 

everyone deserves a happy space!

Register here: https://cutt.ly/eAaOmOi

#hsp #inclusivity #Neurodivergent
foreboding. frightening. it’s not about the babi foreboding. frightening. it’s not about the babies. 
#roevswade
Tune in as @melodywilding and i talk about highly Tune in as @melodywilding and i talk about highly sensitive people, organization, and productivity. 

#hsp #highlysensitiveperson #organized #organizer #productive #productivity

Posted @withregram • @napo_natl How to Stop Overthinking and Trust Yourself - The latest episode of the NAPO Stand Out Podcast featuring Host @clarekumar and guest @melodywilding, executive coach to sensitive high-achievers. Download and listen today at NAPOpodcast.com, our YouTube channel, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
autonomy means… topping up on vitamind in the m autonomy means…

topping up on vitamind in the middle of the day. 

what does autonomy mean to you?

#sustainableperformance #productivity #boostmood #boostimmunesystem
dive in… dive in…
may you find a small joy that inspires a smile tod may you find a small joy that inspires a smile today
Load More… Follow on Instagram

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You got a score of %%YOURSCORE%% out of %%TOTALSCORE%%
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You're blessed with superb filters and have no trouble handling a chaotic environment. Not a lot bothers you. HSPs dream of feeling like this!


You believe “done is better than perfect”. With your focused action, there’s a chance you can be perceived as being a bit of a bull in a china shop. You may quickly jump to conclusions and be too casual with others’ feelings. 

 

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With about 20% of people being highly sensitive, it makes good sense to learn more about the trait.

 

You’re invited to join the Happy Space Pod Online Community, a positive place for HSPs and also for non-HSPs like you who want to better understand and more fully support the valuable HSPs in their lives. 



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You notice a mix of emotions each day, in yourself and others. Sometimes this is easy to accommodate. Other times, it can be overwhelming.

 

You are sometimes bothered by disorganization and chaos around you and notice what could be improved. 

 

Other times, you miss nuance and subtleties that can better guide your actions. You can be creative in the right environment.

 

You are sometimes able to reprioritize efficiently when necessary. Other times, you might find yourself needing to think deeply before making a decision.

 

With 1 in 5 people having the trait of high sensitivity, it is quite possible that you are one of them. 

 

If you shared your email address with us, you should have already received an email with your custom results and more detailed information.

Meanwhile, I invite you to explore the trait of high sensitivity by joining the Happy Space Pod Online Community, a positive place for HSPs and also for non-HSPs who want to better understand and more fully support the valuable HSPs in their lives. 

I hope to see you there.


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Hello, fellow HSP!


You believe perfect is worth striving for and you are proud of your conscientiousness. Being so thoughtful with your work often leaves you frustrated at just how long it takes to get something done. 


Your ability to notice what’s going on around you provides helpful cues which guide your path forward. While blurting out what’s on your mind has sometimes ruffled feathers, you are generally perceived as a thoughtful team player who cares for others. 


You will benefit greatly from setting boundaries, improving self-regulation,  and self-advocating to preserve your energy. 

Join the supportive Happy Space Pod Online Community for more strategies that will help you thrive as an HSP.


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