How to Create an Ideal Work Environment as a Social Media Manager

If you want to be more productive and see better results as a social media manager, you need to have the right work environment. A good environment will make you feel more comfortable, help you stay more focused, and might even relieve your stress.

So what does this environment look like, and how can you create it from scratch?

The Limitations of a Traditional Office

First, if you’re working in a traditional office, there may be strict limitations on what you can customize. Someone else may be in total control of the layout of the office (and your workspace), leaving you practically unable to make meaningful adjustments.

If this is the case, you’ll need to focus on making the changes you can – and potentially pushing for more flexibility, such as with a remote work arrangement.

Understanding Personal Differences

Much of the advice in this article will be universal, providing benefits to the majority of social media managers. However, it’s important to recognize that different people have different preferences; for example, some people want ambient music playing while working to achieve peak productivity, while others prefer total silence. If a certain feature of your work environment makes you feel better and helps you work more efficiently, don’t let anyone’s advice tell you to change it.

Positioning and Privacy

One of the most important elements of your work environment is going to be its general positioning and, by extension, the amount of privacy it affords you. For example, if you’re working in a café, you may not have much control over where you’re seated – and you’ll be surrounded by other people. For some, the gentle hum of background noise from other people can be comforting, boosting productivity. For others, it would be much better to be in a fully closed room of the house, completely separated from common traffic.

Organization and Cleanliness

You’ll also need to think about the organization and cleanliness of your work environment. When it comes to organization, it’s all about putting together a consistent system. You’ll need to invest in filing cabinets, drawers, folders, and other items that help you keep your physical materials organized – and you’ll need consistent rules to follow to ensure those materials never turn into a mess.

It’s also important to invest in reliable carpet cleaners and other cleaning supplies if you’re working from home. If your home office is dusty or dirty, it’s going to decrease your morale and make you more productive – even if you don’t realize it right away.

Furniture, Devices, and Accessories

Next, you’ll need to invest in furniture, devices, and accessories that have the power to shape your working experience. This includes things like your desk, your chair, and even your computer and extra monitors.

Personal preferences play a huge role in your selections here, but there are some high-level features you’ll need to keep in mind when making any of these decisions:

• Comfort. If you’re uncomfortable, you won’t be able to do your best work as a social media manager. There’s such a thing as “too comfortable,” of course – if you’re relaxing in bed, you won’t be able to do your best work either. But you should have a setup that allows you to sit and work in a way that’s natural for you.
• Posture. Did you know that the posture you keep throughout the day can have a significant impact on your health? It’s important to invest in furniture and other items that allow you to maintain a healthy posture at all times; for example, an ergonomic, supportive chair and a desk at the proper height can make good posture almost automatic.
• Efficiency. You’ll also need to think about efficiency, especially with your choice in devices. A modern rig with ample processing power and memory, complete with an extra monitor, will help you get more done every day.

Other Environmental Factors

You’ll also need to consider other factors that will influence your environment and affect your working style, including:

• Visuals. What do you see when you look up from your computer? For most people, some combination of natural scenery, personal photos, and artwork are ideal for distressing and decompressing.
• Sounds. Your soundscape can influence both your mood and productivity. Do you want gentle music? White noise? Loud instrumental pieces?
• Scent, temperature, humidity, and more. There are dozens of ways you can influence your environment, so experiment to find the qualities that work best for you.

It’s going to take some time to perfect your working environment. Some of your strategies might not play out the way you think – and there will always be new elements to discover and experiment with. Keep making tweaks and improving if you want to remain on an upward trajectory.