Sonia Majumder

We’re constantly being shaped by the spaces we move through, the people around us, and the energy we allow into our lives. Step into a cosy living room, a buzzing office, or a quiet café corner, and something shifts – I instantly feel it. Our environments, both physical and emotional, subtly influence how we think, work, create, and connect. Moulding us quietly, day after day.

Home, Work, and Places In Between

For the longest time, I’ve treated work and home as two separate universes. Work belonged to productivity, deadlines, and meetings; Home to comfort, rest, and identity. But the truth is, both shape us deeply. The colours around us, the light, the noise, the people, even the beliefs we carry, these factors influence how we show up.

We spend so much time at work and most of that experience is defined not by tasks, but by people, the colleague who makes you laugh on a stressful morning, the manager who challenges you, or the teammate who always brings a calm presence.

People’s energy is contagious. When you’re surrounded by individuals who are driven, kind, curious, or collaborative, it naturally elevates your own mindset. And on the flip side, a tense or uninspiring environment can drain you before you even open your laptop. That’s the thing about workplaces: they shape our belief systems, our sense of worth, and our perception of what’s possible.

I’ve worked remotely, in buzzing offices, in quiet ones, in different industries, and in workplaces where culture is everything, and others where it barely exists. And each one left its own imprint on me.

Culture Isn’t Just a Buzzword… Until It Is

Some workplaces throw themselves into culture—team lunches, holiday events, off-sites, themed days, the whole we’re one big family thing. Others take a quieter approach. Less social, more task-focused, more “just get your work done.” Neither is right or wrong, but those seemingly small cultural touches often make a bigger difference than we realise. They shape how you feel about showing up every day.

It’s not really the Halloween costumes or the Diwali sweets. It’s the feeling of being seen. It’s knowing someone would notice if you were having a tough day. It’s the simple, human moments, someone offering help without being asked, or a team that knows how to disagree without turning it into drama.

Rise of Flexibility: Work From Anywhere

Today, the workplace isn’t always an office. Sometimes it’s a dining table, a coworking hub, a library, or a balcony overlooking the city. Flexibility isn’t just a perk, it’s a shift in how we connect with work and with ourselves.

When I choose where I work, I am choosing the type of energy I surround myself with. Some days that might be the buzz of a busy team. Other days, it might be the quiet of home. This freedom allows me to align my working style with emotional needs, something the traditional office model never quite managed.

The Environment That Grounds Us

Home plays a different but equally important role. It’s where we reset, where our values take shape, where we feel most like ourselves. The lighting, the colours, the silence, the routines, all of it affects us. When my home feels calm, safe, and authentic, I carry that into my day. When it feels chaotic or unsettled, that energy spills into my work too. Our internal world and our external environment are always talking to each other.

The People Equation

At the core of all this? People.
The right people make a place feel inspiring. The wrong ones can make even the most beautiful environment feel heavy.

Workplace culture doesn’t come from beanbags, fancy offices, or polished mission statements. It comes from real human energy, the way we support one another, collaborate, disagree respectfully, celebrate wins, and create psychological safety. Those dynamics shape us just as much as our roles and responsibilities do.

So, What Shapes Us?

Take a moment to notice the people who energise you, the spaces that calm you, the places where your best thinking happens, and the environments that bring out the best version of you. These cues reveal more about growth and wellbeing than I often realise.

Maslow Knew This All Along

When psychologists talk about human needs, they often turn to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, a simple yet powerful framework.

• Physiological: Comfortable spaces, natural light, the right environment for your body.
• Safety: Financial stability, emotional safety, psychological security.
• Belonging: Connection, community and feeling included.
• Esteem: Trust, autonomy, recognition, confidence in your work.
• Self-actualization: Working from where you feel most inspired, creative, and authentically yourself.

Have a beautiful Sunday. Until next week!