Optimize Your Workspace to Optimize Your Productivity

Time is one of the only commodities that can never be replenished. No matter how much money you make today, you can never buy back a single second of yesterday. Therefore, time is precious to me and those around me. I want to empower others to work smarter, so they have time to pursue their other passions.

The work environment has changed drastically in the last couple of years with an increasing number of workers choosing to freelance or work remotely. Before the pandemic, many employers thought productivity was the by-product of time at the desk and oversight by management. However, the constraints of the pandemic proved that the majority of employees could be just as productive or arguably more productive working remotely. A recent survey by Boston Consulting Group found that despite the challenges of the pandemic, 75 percent of employees felt that they maintained or improved their productivity. The unexpected success of remote work has dramatically accelerated its adoption in the workplace. Pre-pandemic, businesses expected that in five years 38 percent of their remote workforce would be fully remote, while today they expect 58 percent to be fully remote in five years, according to Upwork’s Future Workforce Report in 2021. The report also noted that more than half of businesses, 53 percent, are more willing to use freelancers, the success of remote work.

Freelancers are often paid per project not by hour. Logically, the more productive they are, the more projects they can accomplish in a shorter amount of time leaving more time for family, friends or leisure. While productivity is possible outside of the office, is it guaranteed? Until recently, most freelancers and remote workers had to choose between working from home, or coffee shops or co-working spaces. Each of these options has its limitations. Working from home is convenient and private but it can be isolating and household chores, pets and family members can be distracting. Coffee shops prevent social isolation and provide a steady stream of stimulants, but are noisy and lack privacy for conference calls or team meetings. Co-working spaces have many of the same benefits of the office, but may be unaffordable for some freelancers, and often lack the sociological charisma of a coffee shop.None of these places were designed for the remote workforce of tomorrow using scientifically-proven methods to enhance workflow. But there is an alternative. At VEL, we looked at the science and incorporated every productivity enhancing aspect into the design of our space from the shape of the seating and arrangements, to the light fixtures, to the color on the walls and the acoustics. And we’ve democratized the experience by making it accessible and affordable.

VEL combines the comfort and privacy of home, the stimulation of a coffee shop and the professional environment of a co-working space. We’re not looking to replace the home office or your favorite coffee shop, but we have designed a complementary workspace where you can achieve twice as much in half the time. When you have a looming deadline or a creativity block, you need VEL.

How did we do it? Crafting the optimal productivity environment involves many factors. Let’s start with lighting. Effective lighting decreases depression and improves mood, energy and alertness. Daylight, in particular, enhances productivity and a sense of well-being because it helps workers regulate their circadian rhythms, which reduces stress. To let in as much natural light as possible, we incorporated glass doors and nearly floor-to-ceiling windows into the design of our inaugural Savannah location. We also installed a state-of-the-art virtual skylight which mimics the benefits of daylight without the drawbacks of glare or excessive heat of a traditional skylight. Eye strain from long hours staring at computer and phone screens is a serious concern for our patrons, but we have worked to alleviate that distress through the thoughtful placement of overhead, task and backdrop lighting.

Noise is one of the leading complaints both for freelancers who work in coffee shops and for employees in open concept offices. While people generally prefer some white noise while they work, loud sounds like phones ringing or raucous conversations make concentration difficult. Numerous studies have found that noise increases stress and decreases job satisfaction and productivity. With that in mind, we designed VEL with sound-absorbing surfaces to reduce reverberation, or the number of times a sound bounces from one surface to another. When you slip into one of our private nests, you are instantly enveloped by sound-reducing panels to help you focus on the task at hand. For more privacy, you can rent one of our two privacy pods or our shared pod for just $5. These pods are totally soundproof and ideal for intense concentration, creating a podcast or attending a Zoom meeting.

Seating is another aspect that we meticulously crafted to optimize workflow. Some people think that if you have a chair and a flat surface for your laptop you automatically have a workspace, but this is not true. Ergonomically designed seating and standing arrangements are essential to workplace comfort and productivity. VEL has several different layouts to accommodate different work styles or needs. In addition to our privacy pods and nests for individual or private work, we also have standing work stations with ergonomic floor mats to prevent fatigue, collaboration space for team meetings, high-top seating and open seating. We have a variety of options to suit your changing needs or mood to keep you motivated.

Speaking of mood, several of our aesthetic choices were specifically chosen to enhance mood and productivity. We chose orange as our signature color because orange is the color of joy and creativity. It’s also associated with feelings of warmth, enthusiasm and success. Plants have been proven to reduce stress and increase creativity and productivity, so we incorporated greenery into the design of our back wall. We also know that clutter is one of the biggest deterrents to efficiency so we designed our whole environment with clean, sleek lines and surfaces to minimize distractions.

In addition to all this, VEL provides a few bonus perks that might not be available in other locations. First and foremost is the fast, reliable, secure and private wifi. You never have to worry about losing signal or about download or upload speed slowing your progress. Second, our subscribers can use our app to reserve pods or nests and order drinks or food in advance which, IRIS, our coffee-serving robot will deliver as scheduled. We also provide gravity blankets, which are therapeutic blankets that create firm, consistent pressure which mimics deep pressure stimulation like a hug or massage. Deep touch pressure activates your body’s parasympathetic nervous system, or its “rest and digest” response. Weighted blankets relax the body and stimulate the production of mood-boosting hormones such as serotonin, dopamine and oxytocin and decrease stress hormones like cortisol resulting in improved cognition and performance.

An uncomfortable environment or one full of distractions will reduce productivity. Homes and coffee shops were never designed as work spaces. At VEL we have created an environment -- from the lighting to acoustics to temperature control -- that promotes psychological safety and comfort to remove any barriers to achieving your full potential. We’ve removed all the friction points so you can seamlessly slide into your flowstate and create more output in less time.