The Low-Light Atmosphere
I’d like to jump off the topic of Green, to something a little bit more random in this post. This morning I brought in my desk lamp to use here at work, in the mornings. I love to leave my lights off in the office but have a small desk lamp light on. When PJ, one of my co-workers came in she asked, why I was working in the dark? Ever since I’ve been in an office setting or even in the mornings when I start off the day with some reading I prefer settings that are darker. The darker lighting gives me a sense of relaxation and calmness, which I love considering that the rest of the day will be busy and at times chaotic. Yes manufacturing natural cleaning products really can be stressful! As I explained this to PJ she said that the darkness gives her a depressed feeling. This reminded me of a conversation that I had with my mom a while ago, that in the office she works at, her younger coworkers always seemed to keep the lights off in their offices in the early morning. All the middle aged employees would naturally go in and turn the lights on when they wanted to talk to them, or they would ask why the lights were off. I’m wondering if this is a generational difference that is more widespread than where I work and where my mom works.
A few thoughts about why this younger generation (18-28) may prefer a lower lighting setting in the mornings. One, media these days is designed for sensory overload, everything is vying for our attention in a big, bright, bold way. So as a result we feel more relaxed and our senses less assaulted by an environment that is darker and doesn’t expose everything around us. Two, starbucks. For many of us Starbucks has become a second home, our third place (besides home and work) and many starbucks locations tend to have a darker ambiance. Maybe they picked up on something a long time ago that I am just now recognizing. And now our minds are trained to be more relaxed and at ease in such an atmosphere. My addiction to Starbucks has nothing to do with the coffee, but rather the atmosphere that they provide. Thirdly, stress. We overbook ourselves and we know a crazy day is coming so an hour or two spent in the dark eases us into the busy day.
Do these thoughts seem to fit your experience? It intrigues me, there is nothing better than chewing on a little psychology and sociology to start off the morning!
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That is my experience in the Corporate world. I actually could appreciate the low lights, relaxed atmosphere of working on projects with my younger co-workers in their offices. I must say that it was only the bold that turned on the lights : )
I remember reading studies of lowering intensity of lights to lower stress levels at companies in college. This is not a new idea, although I do believe we are in a faster pace environment today. Therefore, setting the stage for the value of creating the calmer settings in our workplace.
Bryan’s Mom