“Colour is my day-long obsession, joy and torment” artist Claude Monet once said, while you may not be painting a masterpiece in your office, you shouldn’t underestimate the very real power and influence that colour can have.

Psychology of colour

Colour psychology is a huge area and something that’s increasingly important when planning your office space and choosing office equipment, furniture and even stationery. For example, blue is known to have a calming effect, aiding concentration, so it’s a great choice for many offices. Psychologically blue is deemed to be more trustworthy, which is why so many banks and insurance brands make use of it. Conversely, red grabs attention and has even been shown to increase the heart rate. While combining the two to get purple, can give you the stability of blue and the energy of red, making it a great choice for creative offices.

Mood-boosting

Injecting a little mood-boosting colour into the office doesn’t have to mean a complete refurbishment though. You can start with subtle pops of bold colours through the accessories and equipment you choose, with colourful ranges such as the Leitz WoW range featuring notebooks, staplers, hole punches, lever arch files and much more.

Colour in the home office

The Leitz WoW range is also fantastic for the home office too. Working from home or on-the-go is on the rise according to a recent Leitz white paper on the future of work. Home work spaces are often unconventional and not everyone is lucky enough to have a dedicated office, many homeworkers use their kitchen table or a spare room. This is where colour really matters, home décor is carefully planned, and no one wants their colour scheme ruined with clashing office equipment. In fact, Leitz research found 73% of its respondents wanted their work equipment to match the décor of their home. The WoW range offers aesthetic effects suitable for different environments, bridging the home and office gap.

Colour and the mind

Think about some of the biggest known, most recognisable brands and the chances are their bold company colours spring to mind straight away. We have strong mental associations with colours – but did you know colours can also help our memories too? According to research from Stabilo, effective use of colour increases attention span by up to 82%. Colour also increases the understanding of something by 70% and recall by 60%.

Making connections with colour

The Stabilo research explains why when it comes to reading through important documents, researching and prepping for a big meeting, using a highlighter can be the best way to help you retain knowledge. For example, using similar colours for the same topic will help you build an association between the two. Creating this connection between a topic and a specific colour can help with recall when you get into that all-important meeting, job interview, exam or presentation. Why not try the Stabilo Boss Pastel High Lighters to help you power through documents and retain key information?

Red pen power

As we’ve already learned, the colour red grabs attention and when it comes to prepping, revising or making important notes, you can actually use this to your advantage. According to the Stabilo study, you’re far more likely to remember something written in red. Red signifies importance and that something needs actioning or our attention, making it great for memory retrieval. So, if you really need your notes to sink in, try writing them with a Stabilo Point 88 Fineliner Red Pen.

Get inspired by colour

These are just a few of the ways colour can have a big impact in the office. It really does play an important role in how we feel and perform at work. So, if you’re feeling inspired to get colourful at work, there’s plenty of coloured office essentials to choose from on the Lyreco Webshop. We’d love to see how you use colour in your office, tweet us your photos at @LyrecoUK_Ire.