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Most of us have been to an all day conference, meeting or training event and we all know how our state of mind can change throughout the day. It’s not the same for everyone, but statistically majority of people are most productive in the morning, the first hour and 19 minutes to be precise.

Wake up with a cup of coffee on a train to the conference venue and then there is another caffeine boost during mid-morning break, so we are all set till lunch. But that’s when we start going downhill… After lunch, the productivity and focus levels start dropping and somewhere around mid-afternoon, half of people in the meeting room either stop paying attention or start making their way towards the exit. After spending 7-8 hours in the same conference room, there is only so much willpower and attention span to keep up us going for the final hour or so, but there are a few tricks conference organisers can do to keep their guests engaged, and believe it or not, adjusting coloured lighting is one of them!

According to Phillips, coloured lighting is subconsciously affecting our moods and certain colours have the power to influence our state of mind. The colours don’t even have to be very bright, even a slight tint or light shade will do the trick!

So in effort to help conference organisers to keep their delegates engaged throughout the conference, we’ve put together a lighting schedule:

Guests arrival – ORANGE – this is a welcoming colour, creating a friendly atmosphere, exactly what your guests need in the networking room on arrival, to feel welcome and comfortable to start that networking ball rolling!

Welcome and AM session – LIGHT PURPLE – this colour stimulates wisdom and inspiration, two things you really want at the start of your conference!

Mid-morning session – BLUE – this colour lighting has a special effect on the body in a variety of ways. Many findings show that blue light helps a person to readjust his circadian rhythm when traveling, so perfect for those suffering from jetlag

Lunchtime – ORANGE – in addition to welcoming accents, orange lighting also stimulates appetite, which is why orange is associated with healthy foods. It can also increase oxygen to the brain, therefore triggering increased mental activity, helping your guests to keep focused and reducing the chances of getting sluggish after a meal.

After lunch session – GREEN – Green light enhances learning and concentration, which is why it is sometimes used in classrooms and is just perfect for the first session after a long lunch break.

Afternoon sessions – YELLOW – Yellow lighting catches attention and sparks muscle energy and mental activity, which is beneficial for the guests staying till the very end of the conference. Also, at this point several guests will start leaving to catch trains, planes, pick up kids etc. and yellow lighting promotes happiness and joy, a great emotional feeling for your guests to leave with!

Our Conference Centres have been around for a long time, we’ve worked with many event organisers over the years and we know how hard they work to organise a successful conference, making sure all guests are engaged and hopefully these tips will add to the magic toolbox of useful tricks!

Speaking of lighting…

Our Cavendish Conference Centre has an incredible lighting system in the Auditorium, clients can light every single desk in whichever colour they choose!

Our America Square Conference Venue has a unique feature – the Roman ruins of the London Wall,  which runs through the venue. Combined with sophisticated lighting London Wall is the central focus point in our Ludgate, Cornhill and Walbrook conference rooms and provides a memorable backdrop.

If you are looking for a perfect event venue, please just give us a buzz and we’d love to help!