Thinking rooms

Remember how I commented on the high ceilings in the main NYPL library reading room? I also like the high ceilings in my apartment and open spaces in general. I guess I intuitively realized that welcoming spaces do encourage different kinds of mental activity and affect your moods.

This article (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703778104576287121392285518.html)

in the WSJ supports the hypothesis that architecture affects mental activity.

Specifically, older, louder, dimmer buildings caused more stress for white collar workers than newer buildings which are usually more airy and open. Sigh, I work in an old building.

I realized a few months after I started working that blue collar workers often have more physically tiring jobs with aches and pains that show up in pretty obvious ways. White collar workers have work that is less physically taxing but the impact of sitting all day and more subtle stresses add up later on.

It would be great if more companies would realize that investing in a nice working environment will result in a workforce that is happier and more productive. For the most part, companies are inconsistent. I know that the same company can have a huge range of office spaces within the same city and definitely amongst different countries. I think this is just an issue that isn't a priority for most companies but as companies compete harder for talent, working space and quality of life will matter more. Let's hope (for all of us who already think that everything is out to poison us --subtly and not so subtly) that louder, dimly lit, lack of natural lighting spaces are going to be a relic of the past sooner rather than later!