Do you plan to add an office in your home? Whether it’s located in a small bedroom, your annex, or just in the corner of your home, you need to consider a couple of things to optimize your workspace further.
If you plan to work there for a couple of weeks, or even for just a few hours per day, you deserve more than just a worn-out desk and a chair stuffed in a spare corner in your home.
Your home office must be as comfortable and as inviting as possible, as it is where you’ll spend time, and get your work done as efficiently as possible. Read our seven tips on how you can design your home office:
Get a Bit of Green
Even if you don’t have a large window that overlooks the rolling hills, adding some green in your office can help you perform better by helping you relieve stress and sharpen your focus. In fact, according to a study, people who have plants in their office are 15% more productive and have better memory retention.
An inspiring art poster, or a simple houseplant, can already do wonders. While you don’t have to line your entire wall with plants, adding photographs of green can also have similar effects as having live greens in your workspace.
Paint the Walls a Color You Love
Pick a color that inspires you to work. For some people, it could be vibrant colors like lime green or orange. Others prefer more calming hues like botanical green, or sea blue.
Remember that certain colors can affect your overall mood. So figure out what works best for you, and that will get your work motor humming.
Let There be Light
Good lighting in your work office is essential. Try to bring in as much daylight as possible. If your workspace is near a window, then this will help enhance the lighting.
If there’s no natural daylight available, then you might have to bring in artificial light. Don’t put overhead lighting above computer screens directly or don’t place your computer screen in front of your light source to avoid glare that leads to eyestrain.
For maximum comfort, yellow-cast illumination is ideal. It is a color that’s midway in the color progression from cool to warm.
Feng Shui Your Home Office
Set up your workplace for a good Feng Shui. First, you need to place your desk in a commanding position. Placing it in this position is important because it gives you the power to take charge of your own life.
Ideally, your desk should be:
- As far from the door as possible.
- Have a view of the door rather than your back against it.
- Your desk should be positioned in “support” behind you. Try to have a wall behind you rather than facing a wall directly.
- Your desk shouldn’t be in the direct line of the door so that the energy flow isn’t blocked. Place it diagonally from the door instead.
Furthermore, it would help if you also create an environment that can attract positive energy. Your work area should be filled by mantras or artworks that inspire you or anything that attracts prosperity and success in your life.
Choose Ergonomic and Functional Furniture
It can be uncomfortable to spend an entire day at a desk, especially if your chair is stiff or the desk that you use is too high or too low. Poor ergonomics could lead to issues later on, such as constant headaches, muscle strains, or easily becoming tired.
While you must regularly stand up (do a couple of stretches if you have to!) and move throughout the day, you could avoid common issues like the stiffness of the neck and back strains by incorporating ergonomic furniture in your home office design.
Choose Practical Home Flooring
Laminate flooring and engineered wood flooring are great options in designing your home office.
You can add a rug or a runner if you want to add more depth to the room. Pick something that has a smooth texture, as well as dense in a pile.
Keep it Clean and Clutter-Free
Coffee mugs could quickly pile up in your desk or for documents to clutter your workspace, especially if you have no co-workers around. While it’s nice to be working at the comfort of your workspace, the little messes that you make here and there could be distracting and can cause your productivity to suffer.
According to Maid Sailors (a maid service in Chicago,) “Creating storage for your documents and other office supplies will ensure that you’ll be working in a clutter-free, and effective way. If being tidy isn’t your thing, you can contact a reputable decluttering or cleaning service in your area.”
Make Room for Essentials
Make sure that you have enough room for everything that you need. If you only have a small work area, you can take advantage of your vertical space by installing a couple of shelves above your desk. Alternatively, you can place tall bookcases adjacent to it.
Pick furniture that has a double, or multi-function — for instance, purchasing an ottoman that can serve as storage at the same time. Buying an all-in-one-machine, like a printer, copier, scanner, and fax could be an excellent space saver as well.
Final Thoughts
There you have it. With these tips, we hope that you can create a workspace that creates a productive atmosphere and help you stay focused on your goals.
Featured image credit:unsplash.com
