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‘One of the great, but often unmentioned, causes of both happiness and misery is the quality of our environment.’ – Alain de Botton
Author and coach Natalie Shell, who is currently working on a new book, How Changing Your Space Can Change Your Life, has observed how our creativity and emotions are continuously influenced by our surroundings. ‘We are people living in space, not a vacuum,’ she said.
For Shell, our spaces can both foster and hinder innovation. ‘Certain environmental factors help encourage or discourage creativity. For example, a space being too perfect is not usually a creative space.’
A study conducted by psychological scientist Kathleen Vohs found that having a tidy desk may promote healthy eating, generosity, and conventionality – but a messy desk promotes creative thinking and stimulating new ideas.
