--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A University of Exeter study showed that…" description: "\"“A University of Exeter study showed that people who have control over their workspace design are happier at work, more motivated, healthier, and up to..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81c/gretchen-rubin-867_education_a-university-of-exeter-study-showed-that_1528829.jpg" --- # A University of Exeter study showed that people who have… ![“A University of Exeter study showed that people who have control over their workspace design are happier at work, more motivated, healthier, and up to 32 percent more productive.” quote by Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81c/gretchen-rubin-867_education_a-university-of-exeter-study-showed-that_1528829.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81c/gretchen-rubin-867_education_a-university-of-exeter-study-showed-that_1528829.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81c/gretchen-rubin-867_education_a-university-of-exeter-study-showed-that_1528829.jpg) > ““A University of Exeter study showed that people who have control over their workspace design are happier at work, more motivated, healthier, and up to 32 percent more productive.”” [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Control over one's workspace boosts happiness, motivation, health, and productivity up to 32%. **In simple terms:** Design control improves well‑being and output. Key Takeaway Personalize your work environment. Themes workplace design autonomy well‑being productivity Mood analytical optimistic Type research practical When to use this quote - office setup - remote work - creative studios - health initiatives Key Concepts environmental psychology self‑determination theory Questions to Reflect On - What elements of your workspace most affect your mood? - How can you balance personalization with professionalism? A Different Perspective Too much control can lead to isolation or over‑personalization. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Design Happier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/design-happier-5668418/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Happier Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happier-work-3950155/) [Study Showed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/study-showed-1716338/) [Workspace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/workspace/) [Workspace Design](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/workspace-design-5668419/) ## Related quotes > [I'm actually a lot happier because I work as a teacher; more than just a capitalist making money for myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/i-m-actually-a-lot-happier-because-i-work-as-a-teacher-more-than-just/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [“The study showed women who were slower to smile in corporate life were perceived as more credible." As Missy talked, I began to think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leil-lowndes/the-study-showed-women-who-were-slower-to-smile-in-corporate-life/) [Leil Lowndes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leil-lowndes/) > [“A US study showed that rats exposed to invisible television rays (screen was blackened) for six hours per day became hyperactive and extremely aggressive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-sisson/a-us-study-showed-that-rats-exposed-to-invisible-television-rays/) [Mark Sisson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-sisson/) > [In fact, a University of Connecticut study showed that as many as three in four pre-teens and teens who are exposed to Internet gambling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-bachus/in-fact-a-university-of-connecticut-study-showed-that-as-many-as/) [Spencer Bachus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-bachus/) > [“A more recent study showed that of the couples who married between 2005 and 2012, more than one-third of them met online; for same-sex…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/a-more-recent-study-showed-that-of-the-couples-who-married-between/) [Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/) > [I really try to keep my personal workspace as tidy as possible. I really believe there's a place for everything and everything in its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khoi-vinh/i-really-try-to-keep-my-personal-workspace-as-tidy-as-possible-i/) [Khoi Vinh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khoi-vinh/) > [Workspace is mind space on a spiritual plane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siva-pillay/workspace-is-mind-space-on-a-spiritual-plane/) [Siva Pillay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siva-pillay/) > [Whenever I am working with seniors, I give them their space but once I am in my zone, I forget who is senior, junior,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zayed-khan/whenever-i-am-working-with-seniors-i-give-them-their-space-but-once-i/) [Zayed Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zayed-khan/) > [In five years I don't think there'll be a reason to have a tablet anymore. Maybe a big screen in your workspace, but not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thorsten-heins/in-five-years-i-don-t-think-there-ll-be-a-reason-to-have-a-tablet/) [Thorsten Heins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thorsten-heins/) > [When we make our art a practice, when we make our workspace sacred and enter it daily with respect and high intention, then we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/when-we-make-our-art-a-practice-when-we-make-our-workspace-sacred-and/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [I believe in having a neat workspace because everything else in my life is so unpredictable, and my mind is so crowded - I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iliza-shlesinger/i-believe-in-having-a-neat-workspace-because-everything-else-in-my/) [Iliza Shlesinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iliza-shlesinger/) > [Pushing the limits can only be realized by stretching the imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siva-pillay/pushing-the-limits-can-only-be-realized-by-stretching-the-imagination/) [Siva Pillay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siva-pillay/) > [Happiness is an island](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siva-pillay/happiness-is-an-island/) [Siva Pillay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siva-pillay/) > [When you get to know the me about you then it soon becomes us](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siva-pillay/when-you-get-to-know-the-me-about-you-then-it-soon-becomes-us/) [Siva Pillay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siva-pillay/) > [A dressing room is both a personal space and a workspace. It changes with the flick of a switch: turn on the relay -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mathew-horne/a-dressing-room-is-both-a-personal-space-and-a-workspace-it-changes/) [Mathew Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mathew-horne/) ## More by Gretchen Rubin > [“Second Splendid Truth One of the best ways to make yourself happy is to make other people happy. One of the best ways to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/second-splendid-truth-one-of-the-best-ways-to-make-yourself-happy-is/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [Knowing what you admire in others is a wonderful mirror into your deepest, as yet unborn, self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/knowing-what-you-admire-in-others-is-a-wonderful-mirror-into-your/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [Being taken for granted is an unpleasant but sincere form of praise. Ironically, the more reliable you are and the less you complain, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/being-taken-for-granted-is-an-unpleasant-but-sincere-form-of-praise/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“one Secret of Adulthood is “Never start a sentence with the words ‘No offense’”? “And”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/one-secret-of-adulthood-is-never-start-a-sentence-with-the-words-no/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [One of the findings that really interests me is that, although we think we ACT because of the way we FEEL, we often FEEL…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/one-of-the-findings-that-really-interests-me-is-that-although-we/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [We all want to get along well with other people, and one way to do this is to help people feel good about themselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/we-all-want-to-get-along-well-with-other-people-and-one-way-to-do/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [During my study of happiness, I noticed something that surprised me: I often learn more from one person's highly idiosyncratic experiences than I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/during-my-study-of-happiness-i-noticed-something-that-surprised-me-i/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [There is a preppy wabi-sabi to soft, faded khakis and cotton shirts, but it's not nice to be surrounded by things that are worn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/there-is-a-preppy-wabi-sabi-to-soft-faded-khakis-and-cotton-shirts/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“There are times in the lives of most of us,” observed William Edward Hartpole Lecky, “when we would have given all the world to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/there-are-times-in-the-lives-of-most-of-us-observed-william-edward/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“I started thinking more about music. I thought I'd accepted the fact that, as part of "Being Gretchen," I didn't really like music, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/i-started-thinking-more-about-music-i-thought-i-d-accepted-the-fact/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [If you've had something for more than six months, and it's still not repaired, it's clutter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/if-you-ve-had-something-for-more-than-six-months-and-it-s-still-not/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“The pleasure of doing the same thing, in the same way, every day, shouldn't be overlooked. The things I do every day take on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/the-pleasure-of-doing-the-same-thing-in-the-same-way-every-day/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [Although we often assume that feelings inspire actions, in fact, actions also inspire feelings. By pushing myself to act happier, I make myself feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/although-we-often-assume-that-feelings-inspire-actions-in-fact/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [I love finding - or inventing - ways to categorize people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/i-love-finding-or-inventing-ways-to-categorize-people/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“After someone's death, how strange to see the value drain away from his or her possessions; useful objects such as clothes, or dish towels,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/after-someone-s-death-how-strange-to-see-the-value-drain-away-from/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) [Explore all 346 Gretchen Rubin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) ## More Education quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) [Ted Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-martinez/) > [“In school you are taught to obey and not to think straight for your own good. Otherwise the world would be full of millionaires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/in-school-you-are-taught-to-obey-and-not-to-think-straight-for-your/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [There's no authoritarian structure at Reed College, but the education is conservative. So what you have is a lot of students who are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/there-s-no-authoritarian-structure-at-reed-college-but-the-education/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [“What's the best thing about being in college? Good teachers. They inspire you, they entertain you, and you end up learning a ton even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/what-s-the-best-thing-about-being-in-college-good-teachers-they/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“If one has not a head of steel it will burst; if he has not within it a brain of liquid quicksilver, he will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ioannes-amos-commenius/if-one-has-not-a-head-of-steel-it-will-burst-if-he-has-not-within-it/) [Ioannes Amos Commenius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ioannes-amos-commenius/) > [“let us not teach / what we have learned badly / and not profited by”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-d-hilda-doolittle/let-us-not-teach-what-we-have-learned-badly-and-not-profited-by/) [H.D. (Hilda Doolittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-d-hilda-doolittle/) > [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [According to Plato, we don't learn anything. Our soul has lived so many lives that we know everything. Teachers and education can only remind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/according-to-plato-we-don-t-learn-anything-our-soul-has-lived-so-many/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“I only began to enjoy studying after I got through the educational system and became a so-called member of society. If something interested me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-only-began-to-enjoy-studying-after-i-got-through-the-educational/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you had made the acquiring of ignorance the study of your life, you could not have graduated with higher honor than you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/if-you-had-made-the-acquiring-of-ignorance-the-study-of-your-life-you/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [How wonderful it would be, I thought, if only we could practice the teachings of the Buddha as he really taught them from his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dzogchen-ponlop-rinpoche/how-wonderful-it-would-be-i-thought-if-only-we-could-practice-the/) [Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dzogchen-ponlop-rinpoche/) > [English teachers tend to put more thought in the books than the author did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/english-teachers-tend-to-put-more-thought-in-the-books-than-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When will society, like a mother, take care of all her children?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-mann/when-will-society-like-a-mother-take-care-of-all-her-children/) [Horace Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-mann/) [Browse all 37,666 Education quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“A University of Exeter study showed that people who have control over their workspace design are happier at work, more motivated, healthier, and up to 32 percent more productive.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gretchen Rubin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/a-university-of-exeter-study-showed-that-people-who-have-control-over/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Education" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/a-university-of-exeter-study-showed-that-people-who-have-control-over/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81c/gretchen-rubin-867_education_a-university-of-exeter-study-showed-that_1528829.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81c/gretchen-rubin-867_education_a-university-of-exeter-study-showed-that_1528829.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81c/gretchen-rubin-867_education_a-university-of-exeter-study-showed-that_1528829.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A University of Exeter study showed that people who have control over their workspace design are happier at…” — Gretchen Rubin", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Gretchen Rubin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“A University of Exeter study showed...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/a-university-of-exeter-study-showed-that-people-who-have-control-over/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/a-university-of-exeter-study-showed-that-people-who-have-control-over/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```