Do you ever feel like your workspace is working against you? I know I have.
As a relationship counselor and writer, I’ve spent years juggling client sessions with writing deadlines. Along the way, I discovered a secret: the way we set up and interact with our workspace can make or break our focus.
Our desks, chairs, and even the knick-knacks around us aren’t just background scenery – they influence our mood, productivity, and even how we present ourselves professionally. (After all, who hasn’t peeked at a colleague’s desk and made a quick judgment?)
Here at Personal Branding Blog, we believe that your environment is an extension of your personal brand and mindset. So let’s make sure yours is helping you thrive.
In this article, I’ll share four tried-and-true workspace hacks that have helped me become more focused and efficient. Ready to transform your workspace into a focus-boosting zone?
Let’s dive in.
1. Decluttering your desk
I used to have a desk that looked like a file cabinet exploded – papers piled high, random Post-its, empty coffee cups, you name it.
Every time I sat down to work, my mind would dart to the clutter around me. Turns out, it wasn’t “just me.” Research from Princeton University Neuroscience Institute found that a cluttered environment overwhelms your brain and impairs its ability to process information
In other words, all that visual clutter was competing for my attention and draining my focus (not to mention adding stress!).
So, hack number one: declutter your workspace. Think of it as clearing the runway for your thoughts to take off smoothly.
Start small if it feels daunting – maybe today just recycle old papers and throw out those dried-up pens. Tomorrow, organize one drawer.
I personally make it a habit to tidy up for the last 5-10 minutes of my workday. It’s almost meditative and sets me up for a clean start the next morning.
Plus, an organized space sends a subtle message to anyone who sees it (clients, coworkers, even your family) that you’ve got it together. It’s like your workspace is saying, “This is a focused, professional person at work,” reinforcing your own sense of professionalism.
2. Managing digital distractions (put the phone away!)
“One way to boost our will power and focus is to manage our distractions instead of letting them manage us,” psychologist Daniel Goleman wisely notes.
Think about that: how often do we let pings and buzzes pull us away from what we intended to do?
I’ll be honest, I used to be glued to my phone. If a text came in while I was writing, I’d check it reflexively. Then I’d see a news alert, then a social media notification… and suddenly the 2 minutes I intended to spend replying to a friend turned into 20 minutes of mindless scrolling. By the time I got back to writing, I had lost my flow. Sound familiar?
Managing digital distractions is a workspace hack in the sense that our devices are part of our workspace now – and we need to control that environment.
Here are a few tricks that worked for me: silence non-essential notifications (or use “Do Not Disturb” mode) during focus periods. I actually put my phone on silent and out of reach (in a drawer) when I need deep focus – out of sight, out of mind.
I also log out of or mute chat apps and email notifications on my computer for that hour. It felt weird at first, like I was going off the grid. But guess what? The world didn’t end. Those messages and emails were patiently waiting for me an hour later.
And by batching my email-checking to a couple of times a day instead of every 5 minutes, I not only protected my focus, I also responded more thoughtfully when I did reply.
If completely disconnecting is too much, start small: try a 15-minute focus session with no digital interruptions and gradually increase it. You might be shocked at how much you get done when your only browser tab is the work you’re actually doing.
3. Optimizing your environment (light, plants, and comfort)
Is your office lighting making you sleepy? Are you slouched in a chair from 1995 that gives you back pain?
We often underestimate how much our physical environment affects our psychology. I learned this when I moved from a windowless cubicle (where I’d feel drained by mid-afternoon) to a home office with a big window and a couple of leafy plants. The difference in my energy and concentration was like night and day.
Science backs this up. A study found that enriching a plain office with just a few plants could increase productivity by 15%.
Why? Likely because a splash of greenery and a bit of nature boosts our mood and makes the space more enjoyable to work in.
Natural light is another big one. Exposure to daylight helps regulate your body’s circadian rhythms, which can improve alertness and even sleep quality at night. If you can, set up your workspace near a window or invest in a daylight-simulating lamp.
And don’t forget about comfort and ergonomics: a chair that supports your posture, a desk at the right height, even the temperature of the room (ever try concentrating when you’re shivering or sweating?). These are not trivial details – they are the foundation of a focus-friendly workspace.
4. Keeping your goals in sight (literally)
What’s your why for the work you do?
One trick I’ve used over the years is to keep a visual reminder of my biggest goal or motivation right in my workspace. It’s easy to get lost in the weeds of emails and to-do lists and forget why we’re doing any of it. By keeping my goals in sight, I stay aligned and energized.
“Where focus goes, energy flows,” Tony Robbins famously says. I’ve found that to be true – when I focus on what truly matters to me, I naturally channel more effort and enthusiasm into it.
So how do you implement this hack? Personalize it to what drives you.
For me, as a relationship counselor, my core motivation is helping people lead happier lives. I have a sticky note on my monitor that reads, “Help one person today.” On tough days, when I’m tempted to procrastinate or when I feel overwhelmed, my eyes land on that note and it recenters me.
Maybe for you it’s a picture of your family, reminding you that you’re building a better future for them. Or a small vision board with images that represent your career aspirations.
I know a friend who keeps her author’s award plaque on the shelf above her desk to remind her that she’s an award-winning writer even when she’s battling imposter syndrome.
The key is to make your goal or core value visible in your workspace. It’s a constant gentle nudge that the work you’re doing has purpose. This not only improves focus (because it’s easier to buckle down when you feel motivated), but it subtly shapes your professional identity. You become someone who is purpose-driven, which is a powerful element of personal branding without ever having to say it out loud.
Final thoughts
Improving your focus and efficiency isn’t about drastic overnight transformations or buying the latest productivity gadget. It’s about small, consistent changes to how you interact with your workspace and your time.
From decluttering your desk to taking mindful breaks, each of these hacks is a way of respecting your own work and well-being. They’re simple, but as I’ve learned, simple habits can lead to powerful results.
Take a moment to reflect on your own workspace and routines. Which of these hacks resonates with you the most? Maybe your first step is cleaning up that desk drawer, or perhaps it’s daring to set clearer boundaries with your time.
Start with one change and observe how it affects your day. You might be surprised by how much calmer and in control you feel.
