Most of us don't put much thought into it, but how we furnish, decorate and organize our office space can directly impact how we feel every day. We're often told what to remove from our desks to help us work smarter (see ya, clutter and moldy coffee cups), but we rarely talk about what to "add in" to make our work spaces real winners. Enter TODAY's Al Roker, who gave us the inside scoop on the stuff that makes him happier, healthier and more productive on the job. Here are two of Al's tried-and-true techniques to make any office, cubicle or desk better:
Consider a standing desk. According to the Mayo Clinic, sitting for too long and too often can contribute to health issues like weight gain, obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular problems like high blood pressure and high cholesterol. To avoid sitting too much, Al had a custom desk made, but there are plenty of off-the-shelf standing desk options you (or better yet, your employer) can buy and install. Or, you can try one of these standing desk hacks that can be made as cheaply as $22. Can't do the standing desk thing? Just remember to get up and move every half hour, even if you're just heading to the water cooler.
Keep something in sight that makes you happy or inspires you. Al says that his family and work-related photos don't necessarily make him more productive, but they do make him happy, which seems like a great reason to keep them around. Another potential perk? Keeping personal mementos around can help us navigate a bad or stressful day by giving us perspective on the bigger picture (i.e, your life). And don't be afraid to put the fun side of your personality on display in your work space either. Al wears his A-Team superfan status proudly, but you can decorate your space with anything that makes you you.
