How do you feel when you walk into work? Are you energized by your surroundings or left feeling blasé?

Your mood may be impacted by the office décor. A recent survey conducted by New York University claims only 11 per cent of workers enjoyed office walls painted white or beige. Conversely, 88 per cent believed more vibrant colours would improve their energy and productivity. That’s not surprising, since colour can influence our emotions, actions and even how we respond to people and ideas.

If you are in the enviable position of creating your own office environment, it might help to know what each colour means. The website http://www.color-wheel-pro.com/color-meaning.html can assist with exactly that but there are other things to consider as well.

Ask yourself if you like the colour and if so, is it suitable for the type of work you do? For example, red is not often chosen for painted walls because it can be overwhelming and can actually raise blood pressure. On the other end off the spectrum, blue symbolizes trust and wisdom so can actually breed confidence and promote concentration.

Should changing the wall colour not be an option, there are other ways to improve the quality of your environment. Bring your personality into the workspace. Pictures, a favourite mug or decorative item, are easy ways to add a personal touch. A plant will not only brighten things up but also improves air quality.

Your work area should also be comfortable. That could mean anything from adding proper lighting to ensuring that your chair is functional.

Lastly, one of the best ways to improve your state of mind is to create an uncluttered, efficient workspace. Clutter inhibits concentration and drains energy. According to the American Demographic Society, “the average U.S. executive wastes six weeks each year searching messy desks and files for misplaced information. That’s five hours a week, or one hour a day.”

Set aside some time to organize your desk and file cabinets. Clear the clutter and most importantly, take a few minutes each day to keep it that way.

Cathy Goddard is principal of Lighthouse Visionary Strategies (www.lighthousevisionary.com), which offers business consulting, workshop and meeting facilitation and speaking services. She can be reached at cathy@lighthousevisionary.com or (604) 905-8660.