Creating an Environment for Success

What does the physical environment in your office say about you? Do you equip yourself for success with the right technology? Or are you limping along with a printer that jams and outdated software? Does your office inspire you when you walk into the room, or do you look at your desk with dread because of the piles of unfinished work? Having the right environment will help you to achieve your goals. (If you don’t believe that, consider the difference between hanging out at the gym four times a week versus the local donut shop.)

I just spent a week renovating my office environment. I had become complacent about maintenance. The carpet was looking shabby. The walls were dark and depressing. I was trying to hold off replacing my computer and software just a few months longer. The armrest on my chair had broken. The gas fireplace was a little quirky, sometimes not working at all. These little things I had been tolerating were all draining my energy. My office had become a demotivating place. I wasn’t feeling excited about going to work. Would these feelings be apparent to my clients? I recognized the need to invest in my business and myself by improving my office environment.

The old carpet was replaced with a teak hardwood floor and the walls are freshly painted. The fireplace has been fixed and the latest software upgrades are on order. Now when I walk in my office, I feel a touch of excitement at the newness of it! I feel a revamped sense of self worth because I finally took the time out of my busy schedule to focus on me, which ultimately translates into giving my best self to my clients. I am no longer irritated every time I notice one of the things that needs fixing. I have done them! My office environment is now more supportive of my business success!

Take action challenge: What one thing can you change in your office environment right now? Can you take an hour, put on music and clean out your in bin? Can you replace the broken stapler or order the software upgrade? What can you commit to doing every day for a week to continue to improve upon that environment? Can you devote 15 minutes every day for a week to catch up on filing? Feel the energy boost as you gradually eliminate tolerations and improve the environment! Use the comments section to share and congratulate yourself about your successes!

© 2008 Jocelyn Canfield, ABC
www.communication-results.com