
How Room Designs Affect Your Work and Mood - jaydub
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=building-around-the-mind&print=true
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travisjeffery
I'm attending University right now and in the middle of my finals exam period.
Over the last month or so I've been studying and working in one of the
Libraries available (I have a Room-mate that plays loud video games.)

It's the first time that I've ever left my room or living space to work and
I'm amazed at how much more effective I've been in terms of the work and
studying I've gotten done.

I live pretty messily and I think the biggest difference is working without
looking at so much clutter on my desk, being in a room full of others working
diligently and for some reason I find working on a nice wood finish to be very
productive.

Experiment around until you find something that works and stick with it.

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pgebhard
Why can't your roommate play with headphones?

As for the clutter, I definitely agree that a clear desk (and computer
desktop, taskbar) helps clear the mind and helps you focus on the real work.
Being around others that are hard at work does amazing things, too, I agree!

Now, I just wish I didn't have just a single bedroom apartment, because I
can't quite adequately separate my bedroom from my work...a desk in the living
room is then surrounded by the distractions of TV and kitchen (from my
girlfriend, not myself). A desk in the bedroom, while workable, is not ideal,
I think.

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ajo
I'm a graduate student, and am fortunate enough to have an office with a tall
ceiling (~14 ft). I find it's good for theorizing and thinking through ideas
of how to solve problems.

However, when I want to get some work done that I know how to do, I tuck
myself away in a corner of the library in between two aisles of books. With
8ft. ceilings and the books pressing in around me, I can be quite productive
for ~2 hours, but then need to walk outside/ get up and move in order to keep
working beyond that.

Also, I read recently that red is good for focusing and being methodical, and
blue for "thinking outside the box". I'm tempted to set up a room where one
side of the room is red, and the other blue. Depending on what kind of work
I'm doing, I could face one wall or the other.

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pgebhard
Tall ceilings would be nice. I don't understand why so many offices are cube
farms with uninspiring walls and low ceilings. Windows are an afterthought.
Lighting is all fluorescent...

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gfrison
I'd like to work in a tent along the beach within laptop, wifi and a counter
then in the evening turn it to an cocktail bar

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r00k
[http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=building-around-the-
mind...](http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=building-around-the-
mind&print=true)

One page, printer-friendly version.

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jaydub
I tried to submit that link, but it only redirects to the original article.
Perhaps they're checking that the referrer is sciam.com to display the
printer-friendly version...

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thorax
This almost makes me want to invest in some VR goggles and play with different
virtual ceiling heights, greenery, etc in different situations.

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sachmanb
For substance, a little more than in this article, check the Wikipedia page on
Environmental Psychology:
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_psychology#Densit...](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_psychology#Density_and_crowding)

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gibsonf1
Research like this can help us geek architects really create amazing
experiences :)

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param
is there a cliff's notes version?

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sachmanb
the wikipedia environmental psychology page:
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_psychology#Densit...](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_psychology#Density_and_crowding)

