Feeling those January blues in your office? You are not alone. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a real thing, and it can be hard pulling yourself into the office waking up when it’s still dark at 6.30am. This blog will give some tips on how to improve the mood in the office with some simple but effective changes you can make, bringing some light into the darkness of winter!
If symptoms however are persistent or severe, it’s worth speaking to a healthcare professional.
Rocco Forte London Office – project completed by Cirque Furniture April 2025.
Daylight at the Workstation
Let’s Move Those Desks
The biggest tip you should take away as someone in control of your office space, is that whilst we get very little daylight during the winter time, it is not zero! Daylight is a direct effect of mood, and getting more of it can bolster your wellbeing.
Make sure your workstation is getting sunlight, or you at least have visibility to a window. Open those curtains – let the sun pour in!
Move your desk around the office to a place near a window. You are totally in control of your own workstation, and this simple move of desks could really help.
This is why Cirque Furniture always recommends modular desks for our clients. These are desks that can be easily moved and arranged to suit the ever changing needs of the workplace.
We work with several options from our suppliers, from Vitra’s Comma wall and desk system, which allows you to freely and easily modify your environment. Also a shout out to Sancal and their Cita modular system, another seating alternative where you can easily move and shift seating around the office.
Vitra’s Comma – https://www.vitra.com/en-gb/product/comma
Get Outside for Small Breaks
If you have a call that does not require you to be seated at a desk, why not take it outside away from your desk, and get that extra bit of sunlight in your pores. If you are an employer, encourage these ‘Daylight Breaks’.
Make the Lighting Work Harder
Of course, if moving desks is tricky and daylight is minimal no matter where you shift around, consider investing in more lighting options for your office. Extra winter lamps for darker stations, or even a more long-term, bigger upgrade of your task lighting.
There are many experts in the field of lighting, to help create the perfect environment for your workforce. We recommend the company Artemide as well as the lighting experts FLOS – we cannot vouch for them enough!
Office Layout
Staying glued to one spot all day at your workstation can lead to sluggishness and resort in that mid afternoon 3pm slump. There are several ways of tackling this, and offering staff a solution to help them move around the workplace whilst still staying productive.
Break Out of the Desk Bubble
Create different break-out spots around the office where staff are able to work from. These can be a variety of locations, from scattered tables to private booths.
Booths are a great solution for a private space for someone to make a work call on their own away from other team members. The company Tila Space are our recommended suppliers for private booths they offer a range of various booths, from solo to duos.
Tila Space Duo Booth – https://www.tilaspace.com/products/duo
Collaborative Spaces
Winter can make people retreat into their own bubble, which is why collaborative spaces matter even more at this time of year. Having inviting areas where teams can gather for quick catch-ups, informal problem-solving, or a five-minute reset helps keep communication flowing and reduces the feeling of working in isolation. When it is easy to talk things through with colleagues, it supports productivity and builds that sense of unity that keeps morale steady during the tougher months.
Even a small, well-placed collaboration zone, a table near natural light, a comfortable corner with softer seating, or a booth for two, can encourage people to check in with one another and stay connected day to day.
Stand Up, Shake It Off
Sit/Stand Desks are so popular now in the workplace as they ensure you are not glued to your chair all day, which is not only great for posture but also for your general health according to studies like this from Mayo Clinic: https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-minute-benefits-of-an-active-workstation/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Getting blood flowing around your body can boost your general wellbeing and make you feel better. Sit/Stand desks can be adjusted in height to make you stand and work at the same time. This change of position can act as a stress reliever during these cold winter days.
Comfort
Making the office a genuinely inviting place to be can do wonders for energy and motivation. That matters even more in January, when darker days can leave morale feeling a little flat. Here are a few simple ways to boost comfort in the workplace, helping the office feel warmer, calmer, and easier to spend the day in.
Colour – Warm Up the Room
When everything outside is grey, the office can start to feel the same. A simple colour and texture refresh is one of the quickest ways to lift a space in winter because it changes how the room feels, not just how it looks. Warmer tones and softer finishes can make an environment feel more inviting and less clinical, which helps when energy is low and motivation needs a nudge.
Textures
Start with small, low-disruption changes that add warmth and depth. Think cushions, upholstered screens, rugs, desk accessories, and soft seating in break-out areas. Rich neutrals, earthy tones, and muted warm colours tend to work well in professional spaces because they brighten the mood without turning the office into a feature wall experiment.
If you want a bigger impact without a full refit, refresh key focal points people see every day. A statement sofa or a pair of textured lounge chairs in a social zone or a warmer-toned meeting room scheme can instantly change the atmosphere. The goal is not to redecorate for the sake of it, but to create a space that feels brighter, calmer, and more human during the darkest stretch of the year.
Conclusion
January does not need a full office refit, it just needs a few smart changes that make the space feel brighter, easier, and more comfortable to work in. The best approach is to start with quick wins, then build momentum as you see what your team responds to.
Actionable goals:
- This week: declutter windows, open blinds fully each morning, add task lamps to darker desks, and encourage short “daylight breaks”.
- This month: move workstations closer to natural light where possible, introduce a couple of breakout spots or a private booth, and trial one or two sit/stand desks to get people moving.
- This quarter, review your lighting properly, refresh key textures and finishes in the areas people use most, and create a layout that supports different ways of working, focus and collaborative spaces.
Want a quick workspace wellbeing audit? Feel free to get in touch with us at info@cirquefurniture.com today and we will get one of our experienced team members to discuss options with you.
