You’ve just landed your new job. You’re excited to meet new people, learn, grow, and do new things. But there’s one aspect you’re not enthused about: your workspace.
Maybe you’re in a sea of cubicles. Maybe you’re sitting at one desk among many on the floor, feeling like Jim or Dwight from The Office. Or maybe you’re stuck working remotely from your living room sofa. Not everyone can land a job at a fancy startup with floor-to-ceiling windows flooding natural light.
The truth is that most offices lack beauty. Sure, there might be a few pieces of art on the walls, but the majority of workspaces are designed for function (not form), reinforcing the perception that work has to be dull or sterile. Even those working from home are often crammed into unsightly basements or bedroom corners. Many of us have failed to consider the benefits even a little beauty can bring to our environments.
That’s a shame because, as I note in my book, the HBR Guide to Crafting Your Purpose, beauty is one of the six sources of purpose people should have in their lives. Though there are studies linking beauty to happiness, it’s hard to quantify how and why beautiful things imbue in us a sense of deeper meaning. Intuitively, it is just something we seem to grasp.
Think of it this way: Does life not feel more worthwhile when you are watching a sunset? Do you not feel more alive when roaming the halls of a museum or walking the cobblestone streets of an old city?
What I’m talking about is the inner and outer beauty of the deep and rich life around you (not “beauty” as it is standardized in magazines or the media). Incorporating more of this into your everyday surroundings is an easy way to bring extra meaning and joy to your work.
So how can you make your workspace more beautiful? Here are few tips