Ten Foot Ceilings (An Achievement Nudge about Changing your Environment)

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Last Updated on June 9, 2025 by Bill Truby

This Nudge gives a whole new way to think about “raising the roof.” Look around you before you read it; this Nudge is going to change your perspective on your surroundings.

Neuroarchitects are scientists who are focused on understanding how your surroundings affect how you think. They have come to understand that they can actually shape how your brain works by shaping your physical environment. And if they can do it, so can you.

A University of Minnesota research study, led by Joan Meyers-Levy, found that a two-foot difference in the height of a ceiling has a subtle but profound effect on how people approach a problem or consider a new product. In each test, a ten-foot ceiling caused the people in the study to have more abstract thinking with thoughts being freer in nature. An eight-foot ceiling consistently caused people to focus on more details or specifics.

It was a subtle yet profound difference, and one that the research subjects didn’t even notice or acknowledge. The higher ceiling sparked the places in the brain that created loftier ideas and thoughts. The lower ceiling activated the areas of the brain that produce more constrained or confined thoughts. Other research goes beyond the height of a ceiling to prove that other aspects of our surroundings, such as colors or organization of items, affect our thinking and behavior too.

Many designers of our physical space already intuitively craft an environment that primes our brain functions. A space with warm colors, cozy furniture, and a fireplace will invoke a whole different type of brain processing than a corner office in a high-rise building with lots of windows overlooking the city. Snuggling with your honey on a date-night would work well in the first setting, but not so much in the second.

What can we learn from this, and what does this learning nudge us to do?

The first learning is to become conscious of the space you are in and notice whether it is conducive to the work or brain function you are doing. When I do my writing, I sit in a much more expansive space than in my office. Ideas and concepts flow more freely and are much more creative than when I’m sitting at my desk.

What is your space like? Disorganized clutter around you might make you inefficient. Being in a small space such as a cubicle might help your mind confine itself to detail and focus, but limit your ability to think outside the box. Opening or closing the drapes on the windows of your home might affect your ability to think beyond the moment or be trapped in what’s going on right now.

A second bit of learning is to simply own the fact that we are not stuck. Our bodies move. We can go to a different space that is more conducive to how we need to think. And if that’s not possible, changing how that space looks and feels typically is.

If it is necessary to work in a cubicle, select pictures to pin to the cubicle wall that are congruent with how you want your mind to work. In your home, pay attention to what hangs on the walls, your choice of colors, how the furniture is arranged. I rearranged our living room furniture into a more intimate setting one day and every visitor thereafter commented on how cozy our living room was.

The key here is to become aware of your surroundings, then use your power of choice to create the type of environment you want. To not be conscious of your space will perpetuate your past with whatever positive (or negative) outcomes you have been receiving.

This whole concept makes for some interesting mental exploration. Obviously, “telecommuters” work on the telephone? Do “dimwits” work in the dark and “brilliant” people work in a bright place? Do “close-minded” people work in a small space or “absent-minded” people work in an empty space? (I’ve got to shut down this computer and get out of this open space…my mind is getting WAY too expansive!) Do spendthrifts work in a bank, or adorable people work in a…(STOP it, Bill, just STOP it!!!)

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This article is part of our ongoing Achievement Nudge series—short, witty, and often inspirational articles to spark your personal and professional growth. Explore more nudges on our blog, or sign up for our weekly Nudge and News email. Each edition includes an Achievement Nudge plus leadership, professional development, and personal growth videos and articles to keep you inspired and on track.

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