Everyone works differently. Some need a cup of coffee in their hand, while others work best with soothing music in their ears. However, there are two things that will benefit everyone in their workspaces: cleanliness and inspiring colors.

“In general, my room has to be very clean,” senior Gloria Gantt said. “But the desk I work at doesn’t have to be neat, it just has to be organized so I can work at it.”

Every time the new year comes around, most people re-dedicate themselves to old goals or even start new ones. Everyone wants to be the best version of themselves and strive to find that, particularly around Jan. 1. One of the best ways to improve in the new year is by tidying up your work area. This is easily done and has many benefits, including increased productivity.

According to Indigo Triplett in her article “The Incredible Power of a Clean Workspace” on inc.com, working in a cluttered environment causes “unrecognized stress” that can actually hinder productivity. In order to get as much done as possible, specifically when deadlines are involved, put everything in its place. While it may take a small bit of time away from your work, you will be able to get much more done in a clean environment than in a messy one.

“If it’s messy then I can’t work at it, so I just tend to try and keep it relatively clean during the school year,” senior Lydia Fry said.

A clean workspace in high school, whether a desk or a kitchen table, is also especially important for preparing yourself for future jobs. Habits created in high school, good or bad, will most likely also transfer to future employment opportunities and are more easily changed now, rather than later. Clean workspaces at these future jobs will not only represent you well, but also the company image, specifically if potential clients will be entering these workspaces.

Another thing that causes inefficiency is a boring work area. Dull colors or bland spaces can decrease productivity and even happiness. According to Alina Dizik in her article “How to Transform Your Workplace With Color” on entrepreneur.com, an easy way to combat this is through including accent colors in workspaces. While this is definitely important, it is also vital to remember that too many could cause clutter or agitation.

Some accent color schemes to consider are red/orange, yellow, and blue/green. Red and orange splashes, when used sparingly in a workspace can give off energetic feelings, while yellow accents are related to cheerfulness and can even raise self-esteem. On the other hand, blue and green color schemes can have a particularly calming effect. Much like coffee and music in a work area, different colors will work better for different people.

The new year is often all about creating goals and striving to meet them. One of the best goals to get on board with is increasing productivity through a tidy and inspiring workspace.

“I have a letter board on my desk that currently says ‘Do your best and let God do the rest’ and that’s what motivates me,” Fry said.