Herman Miller’s designer Bill Stumpf says he designs furniture with himself in mind. This self-serving mindset is what gives his pieces (like the Embody chair and the Envelop desk) their high level of user comfort. It’s designed for the individual and not for some imaginary “standard humanoid”.

What do you think of this concept when it comes to the rest of your office furniture? What about accessories? What about the design and layout of the office itself? Here are a few reasons designing a “selfish office” might work well for you and your employees.

Stay in Your Comfort Zone

Find a setup that works for you and stick with it for at least a while. Working in a familiar office layout enhances flow and productivity since everyone knows where everything is. Moving things around all the time just to see what happens can be very disruptive. Make changes only when you can do so deliberately – always based on a well thought out plan. That way, you can actually track and evaluate the impact of each change. Then, wait a while before the next round of changes to give people time to settle in and get used to the new setup.

Indulge in Creature Comforts

If you are selfishly designing your office space and selecting your furniture to be the perfect fit for your work style, this almost always includes some flexibility. From your adjustable ergonomic chair to your articulated monitor arm, the ability to fine tune your workspace is a perk that’s too good not to share. If you have some discretionary money in your departmental budget this year, treat yourself and your employees to a couple of nice accessories that boost morale and help get work done.

Give Yourself More “Me” Time

It may seem selfish not to always have an “open door” policy. But the truth is that you need some privacy at work – we all do. That’s why it makes sense to add privacy enhancing technology or accessories to your office space. If you have a real door that will shut to give you a couple of hours per day of focused work time, that’s great. If not, you can still create a more private work area with the use of privacy panels or cubicle wall extenders. When you have fewer interruptions, you’re less stressed and make a better boss for your employees.