HOW TO DESIGN YOUR OFFICE2: MAJOR REQUIREMENTS

The office is your second home, a mirror image of the professional you. To be a success, whatever your job, you need a successful office. Here are design tips based on psychological know-how to help you affordably enhance your image, reflect your personality and build your power. you don't need an amazing office or lots of money to put these ideas to work. (excerpt from The successful office: Franklin Becker).

In designing your office, think about what furniture you want in your office, how you want to feel and you want people to feel walking into your office. Ask yourself what your budget is like? Because,  you can have a big dream office with little money. if you know you budget, then you'd avoid running into the problem of a half finished office or having to borrow just to complete your dream. Look for inexpensive ways to achieve the desired effect.

The office environment, no matter if it is an object-place like in most corporate organisations where everything is stereotype or a person-place, where you are free to redecorate as you may wish, you can use these tips to give your office a boost "in fashion they say va va voom". 

• Size and shape of the office doesn't really matter. What you do with it matters most.
• Signs: a sign on your door or desk that says "manager" shows your status more than the largest office in the building.
• Furniture arrangement: the way you place your desk shows if you want some privacy, some air of authority or accessibility. Place your desk facing the entrance for authority and against a wall, perpendicular to the door shows accessibility without being intimidating. Add a couch or a mini coffee table for two for when you have informal meetings. 
• Jazz up the space with accessories: beautiful clocks, artworks, rugs or throw cushions add that air of coziness to the space for informal times.
• Lighting: your windows shouldn't be placed behind you or your client unless you have absolutely no choice in the furniture arrangement based on the shape of the office. windows behind you or your clients prevents the person sitting opposite the window from seeing the expressions on the the face of the backing the window therefore, impeding on a good conversation flow and trust. place your desk so the window is on the side of both of you. If you have absolutely no choice but to place your windows behind you, you can put up curtains or screens to shield from the sunlight a bit and add artificial lightings. A table lamp shows off your personal or sometimes your need for privacy. Privacy if other lightings are dimmed and only the tabla lamp light on and focused on your work.
• Division of working areas: this creates for better organisation of your work and make work flow easier. Everything should have a home. Get a good filing system. Avoid overloading your office with stuff. Strive to keep your desk tidy at all times.
• Storage: cabinets or wall shelves are great storage facilities. You can tag/label different drawers of the cabinets or different sections of the shelf to help you store your work objects neatly and know where to find them at any given time.
• Pictures and awards can be arranged on a wall. This shows off your achievement more than you can ever try blowing your own trumpet.
• Some people are lucky enough to have large offices but it is not an absolute necessity if your work very long hours and want to be able to exercise without heading for the gym. Bring in some little gym equipment e.g. dumbbells, skipping rope, yoga mat, ball e.t.c. and keep at the office. If properly stored, it won't be in the way. Do this, and see how many people copy. You will become the new trend setter.
• Finally, after dressing your office, you need to dress yourself to fit into it. Remember the way you dress is how you will be addressed. Depending on the type of job you do, you have to dress to impress. Having said that, I don't expect an artist to wear a suit while painting, but I'd expect him/her to look more formal while meeting with clients. I don't mean to brag but the way I dress to work, everyone thinks I'm a banker or a Lawyer because they are considered the best dressed in my country. A lot of people see Doctors as to busy to take good care of themselves because of the work load, I decided to be an exception to that rule and I'm glad some people now share that looking good makes you feel good and able to achieve anything. It is a confidence booster.