3 thoughts on our new office

Last week, 3thought moved into our first “official office,” so naturally our thoughts have been drawn to our space what it means for us.

1. What constitutes an office? Merriam-Webster tells us it is “the place in which a professional person conducts business.” Well, that seems kinda of dry. Yes, an office is a place to work. Hopefully, it is the place where you can be the most productive. But it is also a place where you think, where you collaborate, where you socialize. If you subtract the hours you spend sleeping, it’s quite likely that you spend more hours in your “office” than any where else. Make it a place that you like and where you can build the foundation for your future.
2. So how do you get the most out of your office? There are lots of tips for productivity: comfortable chair, dual monitors, food. The office space itself needs to provide for basic needs like a comfortable temperature and natural lighting. The space also needs to facilitate different types of “working.” Is it easy for workers to collaborate? Is it also easy for them to limit distractions and focus? Small details like wall color, plants and access to caffeine can also affect productivity. For our office, we planned for individual work stations and a small conference area. We also painted a giant white board on the wall that can be viewed from every desk and where we can list everything. We also painted the walls an interesting shade of gray that feels warm but doesn’t compete with any other colors we may be working with in our projects. Oh, and of course, we made sure the coffee maker was fully stocked and ready to go.
3. We are starting from humble beginnings, but believe our new space is a positive step for our business. Other businesses have taken their offices to a whole new level. Check out some of the offices featured on these pages: 10 Amazing Offices Around the World and 25 Inspirational Offices. We can all dream, can’t we?

Well then, dear reader, what makes your work space more productive? What would your dream office be like? Please share with us by posting a comment below.

P.S. We’ll be posting some before/after shots of our office space in a few weeks. Keep an eye out.