Can certain colors affect your mood and influence your behavior? Marketers, artists, and interior decorators certainly believe they can. But to be honest, there isn’t a lot of scientific evidence to support this idea. People tend to react to colors differently. (For instance, I’m a big fan of white walls, but I know that plenty of people find them stark and unwelcoming.)
Still, a lot of anecdotal evidence seems to support the notion that colors can influence people’s mood and behavior. So if you’d like to be more productive, creative, or relaxed at work, maybe you should try adding some color to your office. It’s a simple thing to do – so even if it doesn’t work for you, you won’t have expended a lot of time or effort. You could just hang a colorful photograph on your wall or put a bright knick-knack on your desk. Easy!
But what color should you choose? Well, that all depends on the type of mood that you’re trying to invoke. Here’s an overview of how different colors can affect you:
- Blue – It’s believed that blue can make you feel more calm and relaxed. Surrounding yourself with blue colors will help you to focus and make you more productive.
- Green – It’s believed that certain shades of green are soothing. They won’t strain your eyes, so they’re good if you regularly need to work long hours.
- Red – Red is viewed as an active, passionate, intense color. Decorate with red if you need a boost of energy and confidence.
- Yellow – Yellow is viewed as fresh, invigorating, and optimistic. Add some yellow items to your office if you want to enhance your creativity.
Cherry, K. (2018, February 24). Color psychology: Does it affect how you feel? verywellmind. Retrieved from: https://www.verywellmind.com/color-psychology-2795824
Shandrow, K. L. (2015, March 9). How the color of your office impacts productivity (infographic). Entrepreneur. Retrieved from: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/243749
