After the celebrations of the festive season, many people find January an anti-climax and a bleak month. The miserable weather, the arrival of the dreaded credit card bill, failing resolutions and a lack of motivation can leave many of us feeling low when going back to work. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

It is easy to underestimate the impact that the working environment can have on workers. A well-designed office environment can stimulate staff, boost performance and reduce absenteeism.

Unless you work for a trendy media company and have the luxury of sitting on funky bean-bags or leather sofas, it is likely that your office is anything but stimulating.

Here are some ideas to beat the January ‘blues’ and improve your workspace.

• Clear your desk
There you go. Looks lovely doesn’t it? But can you keep your desk permanently clutter-free?

According to the principles of Feng Shui, a cluttered workspace that manifests itself in a cacophony of post-it notes and piles of files strewn across the desk impedes the flow of positive energy.

Get in to the habit of clearing your desk each day and put things in their place after you have finished using them. A well-organised desk leads to clear thinking and helps to reduce stress.

• Add some colour
Colour affects all of us in different ways and certain colours have been proven to positively affect your mood.

For example, red is known to energise, blue acts as a calming influence, green is an anti-irritant, orange inspires creativity and yellow heightens motivation. Consider adding something to your desk or office that you will be drawn to.

• Let there be light
By simply replacing your antiquated fluorescent lights with full-spectrum or daylight bulbs, you can instantly enhance your environment and it’s the closest that you’ll get to having sunlight indoors.

This has the added benefit of easing eye fatigue, reducing stress levels and improving your mood.

• Flora and fauna
Plants can do more than simply brighten up your desk or office area, they can also clean the air of pollutants by adding oxygen and humidity to the indoor environment.

Common houseplants such as Chrysanthemum’s or Chinese Evergreens are capable of converting air pollutants including carbon-dioxide into harmless substances. So, they add colour to your office and benefit the environment too.

• Be comfortable
The chances are that you spend most of your working day sit behind your desk, using a computer and probably sat in an uncomfortable chair. Thousands of British workers suffer from back pain and a high proportion of these complaints are down to poor workstations.

If you use the telephone on a regular basis, use a head-set instead of cradling the receiver between your shoulder and ear. And make sure that your chair is comfortable, not too high or low and that your screen is positioned at eye level.

• Plan ahead
One of the best ways to stay happy is to have something to look forward to, whether it’s a luxury holiday or a new gadget to play with.

If you’re having a hard time at work, work out how much you get paid every day and set a monetary goal for something you want to do or buy. At the end of every day you can sit safe in the knowledge you’re one step closer to your target.

• Stay in shape
A healthy body means a healthy mind. As difficult as it is to combine your day job and a fitness regime, there’s no denying the benefit it can have to your general wellbeing.

If joining a gym doesn’t appeal, try and get out at lunchtime for a long walk at least a couple of times a week. Many of your colleagues will be in the same position and you can probably get a group of you together to make it seem like less of a chore.