We all know the feeling… The alarm sounds on Monday morning entirely too early, you accidentally put face cream on your toothbrush because you’re running on autopilot, and even coffee doesn’t offer it’s usual perk. The last thing you want to do is sit behind a boring desk all day staring at a blank wall trying to find motivation to do something.

Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to make your office or study space a more inviting and inspiring area. By adding a few simple touches, you might be able to kick the Monday morning blues and actually look forward to hunkering down behind that massive pile of books or files. Okay, maybe that’s taking a little too far, but at least you can make it less boring.

Get It: Calendar, Photo Frame, Pet Shadowbox

Add Touches From Home
It’s nice to be reminded of what we care about during the tough times. Things like family, goals, and hobbies can help propel us forward when we think we’ve had too much. Remind yourself why you need to work hard by incorporating photos, quotes, and magazines into your workspace. Inspirational posters are another great addition. If you’re not allowed to have photo frames on your desk, or you share a workspace, you can use the background on your computer or create a slideshow on your phone. A personalized calendar, or just one with photos that inspire you, is also an alternative.

Get It: Candles, Scent Pouch, Lotion

Get Some (Aroma) Therapy
I’ve personally worked at that place… The one that smells like someone came in a dumped a gallon of bleach underneath the desk at night. It’s not pleasant, and it’s definitely not soothing. Keeping your work area smelling nice will make it more inviting for others and keep you from feeling the need to run through the door to escape. If you can, add a candle or fresh flowers to your desk. Not only do these smell nice, but they add a little ambiance to the space. Another option is air fresheners, whether it’s a spray, plug-in, or even a hanging car air freshener in your desk drawer. If neither of these options are allowed, consider keeping a bottle of nice smelling lotion handy and applying it to your hands when you’re in a funk. Not only will the smell lift your spirits, but you can give yourself a short hand massage to relieve the carpel tunnel that’s setting in after typing for six hours straight.

Get It: Stability Ball, Dumbbells, Stress Ball

Work Out Your Stress
At home, my office doubles as my home gym. It houses my elliptical machine, weight bench, and free weights, along with workout DVDs and Shape magazine clippings. At work, I keep an exercise ball and a set of dumbbells. Having these items handy gives me the ability to take productive breaks. If I’m feeling overwhelmed, I can pause and get in a little cardio or strength training to work off some of the stress and clear my mind. The exercise ball can also double as a chair while you’re working to get in some extra training on your core muscles. With a schedule like mine, multitasking is always a good thing. If keeping workout gear is not a possibility, you can always get a stress ball.

Get It: Coat Rack, Wall Pockets, Drawer Organizer

Kiss Clutter Goodbye
Obviously, no one wants to stay in a messy area for very long. Somehow, our offices and study areas seem to become overrun miraculously fast and yet we just push through it to deliver what’s necessary. Having to shuffle through the clutter to find what we need just adds stress to an already too close deadline. Be sure to utilize filing solutions and keep things you aren’t working on put away. Maximize desk space by keeping extra pens and accessories in a drawer rather than on the desktop. Hang your bags and coats rather than lying them on the floor or draping them on your chair where they can be tripped over or block you from rolling your chair when necessary. Basically, if it’s not what you’re working on at that moment, it should have a place to be other than taking up prime real estate on your desk.

Get It: iPod Shuffle, Ear Buds, Concentration Music

Pump Up The Music
Most workplaces either have music available or allow you to listen to a personal radio while at work. However, sometimes the elevator music being played (or the Christmas music in November) just grinds your nerves. If your job does not include answering phones all day, bring your iPod and pop in your earbuds while you work. Music has the ability to alter our mood and get us ready for anything, so put on your favorite tunes to rock out and the workday will fly by. However, sometimes music can be distracting, like while you’re reading and trying your hardest to comprehend everything or writing notes that don’t say “Office remodel is taking place on… She’s a briiiick… hoooouse!” Oh, c’mon, I can’t be the only one that tends to write what I’m hearing! During these times, it is best to listen to music sans lyrics. Classical music tends to help me focus and it keeps the sound of the clock ticking from driving me insane (yes, I can hear every clock in the entire building, and no, they are not all in sync).

Get It: Paper Clips, Stapler, Post-Its

Unleash Your Inner Interior Decorator
Even a cubicle doesn’t have to be drab. Small touches of color can make even the most yawn-worthy offices a little peppier. Thankfully, there’s a ton of colorful office supplies to choose from now. Blue paper clips, a pink stapler, and even green staples are small things that can brighten both your space and your day. Fun colored or shaped post-its are a small step in a fab direction that don’t stand out from the crowd too much. Use colored paper for memos to yourself and colored pens for your planner (just stick to black and blue for business purposes). If you don’t want to buy your own office supplies or you think your office might frown upon green staples, look for a signature piece that brightens your mood. A unique clock or funky notepad can lift your mood without breaking the bank.

Get It: Diploma Frame, Ribbon Hanger, Dog Mom Award

Remind Yourself How Awesome You Are
Executives do this all the time… Their degrees and awards can be found on every wall of their office. However, people in “smaller” roles tend to overlook displaying their accomplishments and I’ve never been able to figure out why! Whether it’s an Academy Award or a 2nd place ribbon for your signature apple pie, it’s nice to have a close reminder that we did something fantastic. In my office at work, I have small table where I keep the programs from anything where I received an award or recognition. At home, I proudly frame all of my certificates from school, whether it is an outstanding student award that only I received or just a membership certificate to an honor society, and display them on the shelves and walls. It’s a constant reminder that even if I don’t feel like I’m doing my best, I’m capable of doing great things. This kind of reminder pushes me to try harder when I know I can.

Get It: Black Chair, Green Chair, White Chair

Get Comfortable
No matter how lovely your office looks, you won’t be happy spending hours upon hours in there if you’re not comfortable. For this reason, I feel the most important piece of any office is the chair. It doesn’t necessarily need to be a huge executive chair made of rich leather and sewn with silk, but it should not feel like you’re sitting on a cinder block after five minutes. Function should definitely come before style when it comes to your office chair. It does, of course, support you throughout your day.

These are just a few suggestions for making your workspace a more pleasant place to be. Depending on your workplace setting and your personality, there are a ton of ways to be a little creative and make your space one of your favorite places to be (even if the activities you happen to perform there are not part of a favorite list). Have a great idea that I didn’t cover? Please, post it in the comments! If you have a photo of your office makeover, I beg you to share! I would love to see what tips you used or new ideas that I haven’t thought of.