Why your office desk could be the key to productivity

With the constant drive to increase our productivity, we need our workspaces to enable us to do this. Our setups are vital to our health, and therefore the longevity of our productive working lives. An uncomfortable chair, a broken castor, or a wobbly desk leg can be the limiting factor to unlocking this potential; these things may seem like minor inconveniences, but those annoyances can reduce productivity. A stylish space that doesn’t have squeaky drawer rollers and isn’t cluttered due to a lack of storage space could be the key to boosting your creativity.

I already have a desk, why should I consider a new one? Mine is still standing!

Whether or not your desk is standing doesn’t really cut the mustard, the question is: does it work for you? or, are you working around an inadequate solution “for now” because “it’s fine”? If the latter feels more accurate, consider revamping your space, starting with making your office desk work for you.

 What do you need from a desk?

What you need from a desk depends on what kind of work you do, and from where, whether you’re in a traditional office or a home office.

 Consider how large you need the tabletop to be– do you draw site plans that need to be laid out flat? Or do you work entirely on a laptop that doesn’t take up a lot of room? This might be the case, but you could also be someone who likes to spread out, with pictures of your family and a plant on your desk, meaning you’ll need more space than just enough for your laptop.

 Or perhaps you use two monitors and so you need space to house both of them, leaving enough space in front for a keyboard, a mouse, pens, and paper? 

 Most desks are designed to a standard height of 75cm, so if you’re tall, you may find a lot of desks force you to crane your neck uncomfortably. Even if you aren’t tall, you may find it uncomfortable to sit for long periods of time; in both cases, consider a desk with an adjustable height and/or angles. 

Does your office have a hot-desking system in place? This could mean smaller, uniform desks that don’t need space for pictures of your dog as it won’t be your desk.

 What features should I consider when looking for in an office desk? 

There are a lot of factors to juggle to pick the best desk that is right for you. Functionality has many factors, and a few more to consider are:

Organisation aids– built-in wire holes and channels to keep cables tangle free and your workspace clear,

Storage solutions– built-in drawers on smooth, silent rollers and cupboards with ample room are convenient for keeping important paperwork, books, and files nearby and neat, keeping clutter off your desk and maximising the utility of your space,

Size– will it fit in your office? In smaller spaces, L-shaped and corner desks can give you more surface space than a traditional rectangle-shape, without the need for additional furniture.