4 Must-Haves for the New Year

Busy seasons can create clutter. The holidays, accelerated schedules and crunched end-of-year goals breed chaos at our desks.

But the new year is an opportunity to reevaluate our workflow and habits for the long-term. It’s the perfect time to reflect, reinvigorate your productivity, and rebuild your setup with four key elements: Space, light, nature and order.

 Before you begin chasing goals this year, take a moment to consider your setup, needs and usage…. Ask yourself:  

• What tasks did I spend the most time doing last year? What tasks will I be doing most in the next few months? 
• What do I need / what will help me to accomplish those goals well?  
• When I look at my setup, am I inspired and motivated? Or stressed and restless?
• What part do I like/enjoy working in the most? And what part do I like the least? Why? 
• Did I actually use the workspace the way that it was designed? Or did I avoid working in certain areas? Why?  

Do I have enough surface area for an additional monitor or tools? And an accessible place for tools, keyboards or paper?

When you answered those questions, did you discover that there were places on your desk that you didn’t use? Did you see areas that made you want to run from - instead of towards - your work? Your responses highlight where your space needs to change. 

The good news is you can solve many of those problems more quickly than you think. Use our guide below to boost your productivity, improve your motivation and create an ideal place for productivity by incorporating the four essential elements. 

Space

One way to de-stress a desk is by adding more space. If you feel stressed when you look at your setup, expand your surface area. 

Give yourself more room to work with a larger executive desk like the Artifox Table (shown above in White Oak or Walnut). Practically, it will help you accomplish your work, and visually it will help you maintain calm while doing it.

With an enlarged surface area, Table can help you meet the demands of writing, editing, designing, meeting, or multi-tasking - all while corralling all of your cables with grids and magnetic tabs.

Also consider a piece that can flex with your needs. The Table can transition between a single-person desk, group meeting space and in-home dining table. This double- duty-design feature eliminates the need for multiple pieces.  

“The Artifox Table is whatever you want it to be. Sure, it's literally called ‘Table,’ but it's also a desk. The 70-inch by 36-inch table has enough to seat up to four people for a meal or a work session. The smartly designed Table has a hidden cable management system under the surface, and the cords are easily accessible from the middle of the table. The fact that the Table is easy to assemble and disassemble makes this a piece of furniture you're going to have for a very long time no matter how often you move.” - Gear Patrol 

For studios or smaller spaces, use a desk that allows you to build levels with accessories, utilizing vertical space. Our Walnut & Bone Desk with white features was designed for a collaboration with Twelve South. It features two of our Small Stands that can hold speakers, cameras or other accessories. 

Utilize Overlooked Spaces

Clear items off of surfaces by using vertical space with multi-purpose storage items to hold books, keys, memos and other essentials. Our black Shelf works with Mini-Pegs and Vessel in Smoke to gather collections and every day essentials. 

Additional seating or storage doesn’t have to be complicated. A single bench with multiple storage options can accommodate morning meditations or serve as a welcome area for visitors. (Shown below our Bench in Walnut.) 

Light

Dimly lit spaces can strain your eyes and tax your mental focus. Natural and artificial lighting can boost your sense of inspiration, productivity and enthusiasm to work. So, position your work area near a window or skylight for natural light.

Supplement your setup with a lamp to help you stay clear and engaged with the task at hand. Find a lamp that will flex with your tasks, seasons, and needs throughout the seasons. If your desk area is dark and rich, indirect artificial lighting will be that much more essential - Consider getting a few lamps and station them around the room. 

Our Table Light, which comes in Black, White and Sand - is a dimmable lamp with storage for small items. Its minimal and streamlined design means that it’s suited to any space - tables, desks, side tables, making maximum impact in brightness with minimal distraction from your concept. A small area at the base also serves as storage, collecting small items away from main work areas. 

Nature 

Adding plants and organic fibers into your environment can transform cold, blank offices into warm and inviting spaces. Integrate natural elements and textures to reduce stress, increase satisfaction and promote overall well being.

Try nesting a low-maintenance succulent in a small container - like Vessel or Basket - to add balance. 

Surround yourself with natural elements and environmentally-friendly features - like our solid grain pieces that are sustainably sourced or the bio-friendly materials coating our Table Light.

Order 

Less clutter means more productivity. Reset your area and eliminate clutter - group your needed items, give them place, and try to use organizing elements as efficiently as possible. 

For example, a monitor riser like our Large Stand has space on top for an extra monitor and utensils, but also uses vertical space underneath for laptops, gaming systems, keyboards or paper trays.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

“It creates more space on the desk and also brings my laptop to eye level (a much needed improvement for posture and head/neck alignment).” - Ashley

“Clean and simple, this weighty riser is substantial and perfect for adding another level to my desktop.” - Gwen

Cable management is also key. This is why we designed all of our Desks and Tables with a grid system and magnetic tabs to hide cables and create an organized space. 

Where you work is much more than a surface area with a computer - and when you have a space that empowers you to focus, work efficiently, and feel great while doing it, you’ll be more likely to do your best work yet. Here’s to 2023 - may it be happy, healthy and productive. 

If you upgrade your space, please tag us on social media @theartifox . We’d love to see your setup and might even feature it on our account!