Hello Friends! Tobi here, your Digital Good Vibes Curator and Studio Manager here at The Wonder Jam. This is my first blog post since joining the team and I’m super excited to share what I’ve learned about turning up the awesomeness of your work space.
If you’re at work right now, take a quick look around your office. I guarantee you’ve done one of two things: you either a) smiled as you peeped your favorite wall art or fig leaf plant on your desk or b) you didn’t even lift your head to save yourself the disappointment (*rolls eyes in underwhelmed*).
I’ve been in both scenarios. I’ve grown to realize everything truly holds energy, and it’s important that you’re intentionally curating the energy you want.
I’ve worked at traditional corporate headquarters with beige cubicles and beige walls and beige folders. And not the cool, chic beige—the beige that makes you feel like the walls are caving in on you. I’ve also worked at offices with lots of color, rotating wall art, plant humans and dope Spotify playlists. Ironically, the office that I’ve liked the most is the office I don’t even have to be at most of the time (see: remote work flexibility). Can you guess what office that is?
Yep, it’s The Wonder Jam!
The first thing I focused on when joining the team was upping the vibes here. Thanks to the team valuing the energy of their office, I had a great foundation to start from. I spent the first week cleaning, organizing, decorating, taking note of how my teammates were using the space, etc. After maintaining The Wonder Jam studio and office for about five months now, I’ve come to realize some elements that make or break a space. I’m excited to share with you all—not to mention, these all are quick, easy and inexpensive fixes!
So, let’s get started!
Plants
Do I really need to elaborate on this?! It’s a known fact (opinion? lol) that plant humans make everything better. According to Lifestyle Home Garden, indoor plants have been proven to
- Create a healthy oxygen flow
- Purify the air by removing toxins
- Ease tension and lower stress
- Create a relaxed and happy ambience
- Help you to ultimately work better through improved concentration, heightened attention and enhanced creativity
WOW. That being said, we also know plants can be hard to take care of consistently. Here at The Wonder Jam, we specifically choose low-maintenance indoor plants, like a rubber tree, snake plants and pothos plants. Then, we place them according to their sunlight needs.
Okay, so you’re probably still questioning if you can properly care for a plant human. All good, I still got you. Try Costco, West Elm and Pottery Barn for faux plants—true, you won’t get the amazing benefits of living plants, but you’ll still soak up all the beauty! Maybe invest in a humidifier to offset it.
Snacks
If you tuned in to my IG takeover on TWJ page, then you know how important snacks are to The Wonder Jam. We keep a rotating snack station because, well, meetings are better with yummy snacks, right? Lately we’ve stocked up on Clif Bars, Rx Bars and Fig Bars (fun fact: they’re gluten free!). Pretzels are always a hit (I personally love pretzel chips).
Moving onto beverages: One Line Coffee, LaCroix and Spindrift are the regulars. And for the record, Spindrift is better than LaCroix. I know, I know, that’s such a loaded statement these days!
Music
Overhearing your coworker talk about the underwhelming highlights of their weekend gets old.
Printer sounds get old.
And, sometimes, silence gets old.
In 2019, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t have some tunes on in your office space. Three words: iTunes. Tidal. Spotify.
My personal favorite is Spotify. I have the app on my computer and my phone and use it constantly. These music platforms have a billion playlists—even ones you think wouldn’t exist like “Songs to Sing in the Shower.” You can even make your own like I did with my brand’s playlist “Beyond the Clouds: Listen Well.” Music easily adds a tangible vibe to the space and everyone has a favorite song. We like to take suggestions from teammates to keep it fresh. Worried about distractions? Keep it on a low volume or play this “Chill Lofi” playlist.
Cool People
Hire wisely. Talent and skill is important operationally, but personality fit is super important to the culture of the company and space. I genuinely enjoy working with and learning from my team at The Wonder Jam. I admire their work, creativity and trust them with semi-personal information. This might seem small, but it’s been important to the glue of our teamwork, and it makes for a better training grounds for me.
Maybe you’re asking “what does trust have to do with creativity and career/team success”? I’ve learned working with a team I trust is significant to my growth and vulnerability with my work and projects. When your mind is racing about if your boss is working against you or if your company is in the news and no one is addressing it, it’s hard to focus on the tasks at hand. It’s hard to take risks and practice radical honesty and experiment – which is essential to new and creative epiphanies. A work team is just like a sports team, the more trusting and intuitive we are the better we are for our own growth and our clients. Consider this if the vibes are foggy.
Flexible Work Spaces
Sitting at the same desk for eight hours straight is not the wave. Try providing some flexible work spaces where folks can go to work or meet beyond their assigned desks. We like setting up two to three group work tables around the office and studio, plus some individual desks. Oh, and we also have a sofa for those Monday blues. I’m constantly finding ways to refresh these flexible work spaces, so pro tip: use furniture that’s seamless or modular so you can easily mix and match.
I’m also a big fan of, what I call, cozy corners. It doesn’t have to be extravagant—for a while, ours was a two-person table behind our bookshelf with a blanket on the seat. People absolutely loved it. Currently our cozy corner is the same table moved to the opposite side of the room, next to a soft light standing lamp and our diffuser. Yep, it’s a vibe.
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Feeling inspired?! I hope these ideas are helpful and effective for your office. What are some ways you like to up the vibes at your office? Let me know below! And if you try any of my tips, take a pic and tag us on IG @thewonderjam. We would love to share your space with our digital community!
Have a good one! Be Well!