How important is a work atmosphere really as a freelancer or small business owner? More important than you might think! Even if you work by yourself in your bedroom, the work atmosphere can have a lot of impact on your productivity and mood. Here are a few little things you can consider when creating your work atmosphere.
Define your core values
We start right away with the hardest part: determining your core values. Because what atmosphere suits you? It depends on who you are and what you want to achieve. Write down five core values that fit who you are and what you want to radiate with your business. For example: creative, proactive, honest, sociable, professional, fast, innovative, sustainable, accurate or versatile. This is the starting point of your work atmosphere.
Decorating the space
Now it's time to look at what your work environment looks like. For example, do you have "professional" as a core value? Then playful drawings and crowded spaces are not a good idea. They don't match. If you have "creative," then it's okay again. The lines are pretty thin here, so see for yourself what feels right for you.
Furniture and decor can really set a tone. Want to score cheap furniture? Then check out the thrift store or go to Marketplace. You can save a search, which will notify you every time there is a new result. For example, set this to "white leather sofa" and then within 10 kilometers. Works very well!
What else? Candles!!! Scented candles are really sacred to me. So during chill sessions I have a candle on that smells like nuts or vanilla and during work I have a more fresh candle, for example with blueberry or lemon. I am very happy with my newest acquisition, namely vegan candles from The Very Good Candle Company in Amsterdam. With the code VERYGOOD15 you get 15% discount in the webshop. You're welcome.
Nice music
I am addicted to Spotify. In 2018, I listened to 11,586 different songs and then I played some of them about 100x. Do the maths. The other day I discovered the "Daily Mix" feature, where Spotify creates 4 playlists for you based on what you've listened to before. Furthermore, I always have about 5 playlists downloaded and make grateful use of the "You might like this" playlists. By the way, did you know that as a student you get a discount? I found that out a few months back, so I overpaid €5 a month for 14 months. You just have to hand in your proof of registration and then you pay €4.99 per month instead of €9.99.
Keep it tidy!
Maybe you work very nicely in chaos. That you have to spend half an hour looking for a 2B pencil and find empty dinner plates everywhere. I doubt it. A life-changing rule: the 2-minute rule. If you can do something in 2 minutes, do it right away. Think of a pair of pants you took off, a piece of paper you threw next to the trash can, a drink you spilled on your floor, et cetera. Then, of course, you have to clean it up completely first, but after that, this rule really works super. Then it never becomes a mess.
