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Calculated Space: From Dorm to Home Office to Corporate Office

On one end of the scale, there are those climbing the corporate ladder who are poised behind stately architectural desks worthy of the Oval Office; on the other end, there are those academically advancing toward magna cum laude who are toiling in front of institutional-issued laminate work stations. From those Fortune 500 headquarters to community college dorm rooms everywhere, the space to that you choose to secure your future may be helping you or hindering you.

Being proactive, motivated and driven are biological traits of the über-successful, but if you find you’re among those less fortunate, you can still follow these six steps to transform any inefficient work space into your own powerhouse of creativity and motivation.

1. Location, location, location – The real estate that you choose to do all of your work, whether it be spreadsheets or reading, is of the utmost importance. From a corner office to a spare closet, it needs to be all yours and off limits to the rest of the world. The most successful work environments are those to which you can shut the door to avoid life’s interruptions. Place your desk in front of a window, if you are lucky enough to have one – the vitamin D will enhance your concentration and mood.
2. Work on it – No matter if you have a traditional desk or stacked milk crates with a plywood top, you need to have an uncluttered work surface large enough to spread out easily, in order to enable you to work on a multitude of projects simultaneously. Include room for paperclips, a stapler, writing utensils, sticky notes, your computer, phone and many other items necessary for multitasking – and make sure these are accessible when you need them.
3. 

   The well-lit and organized Inman Company office space

   Light it up – Task lighting and general lighting are both important when utilizing your work space. A freestanding lamp placed on your desk will assist you with reading, while overhead lighting – traditionally placed on the ceiling – will illuminate the entire space.

4. Organization on every level – Everything needs to be impeccably organized, from the top of your desk to – most importantly – your filing cabinet. Any time you have to spend time searching for something is time away from what you really need to be doing. An organized space indicates an organized mind.
5. Seated for success – The best investment you can make is an ergonomically correct chair. The toll you put on your back, neck and spine by sitting at a desk all day staring at a computer will be evident in the years to come if you have not considered this factor. What you can do now to take care of your body is what really matters. In addition, remember to sit up straight and practice elongating the spine with shoulders back, as this is the posture that will signal strength and confidence in the business world.
6. Superior surroundings – Your office should be all your own. Decorate and design your environment with items that inspire and motivate you personally. Live plants release oxygen that is good for the body, and pictures of loved ones remind you of why you are doing all of this in the first place.

Whether we are an ambitious college student or a chief executive officer, we all require our own calculated work space to thrive in our tasks. How well we achieve that translates into our overall success as we move forward in the world of business and in our own continued self-improvement.

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