Working from home has become the norm for millions worldwide over the past few years. As convenient as it may be, remote working can also be challenging if your home office is disorganized.
Some people’s home office environment might be so distracting that they can’t finish any work. They may also feel groggy and lack enough energy to work. If you’ve struggled with these remote work problems, this article aims to help you.
6 Home Office Ideas for You
There are several ways to raise your home office productivity easily. Here are six home office ideas to consider if you’re looking to give your work area a much-needed makeover.
1. Invest in a better chair
Not only does bad posture negatively affect your health, but it can also be detrimental to your energy levels. So if you sit on your chair all day, you might as well invest in one that helps improve your posture.
Consider investing in a chair with wheels and reclining abilities, making it easier to adjust your seat and be comfortable. Ideally, it should also give you enough support for your back. It helps prevent back injuries that might emerge from sitting improperly for hours.
2. Emulate natural lighting with lamps
The amount of light your home office has can affect your productivity more than you realize. If your home office is too dimly lit, it might make you sleepy. Alternatively, a well-lit room— typically one that allows for a significant amount of natural light to spill inside—may better energize you.
If your home office has a window, avoid blocking it to allow light to come in. Ideally, you would want to use light bulbs with warmer tones (yellows and reds) to emulate natural lighting better. You may also consider investing in lamps to increase the light sources in your home office.
3. Clear out the clutter
A cluttered space can be demotivating to work in. You might still have old documents, random items, or irrelevant sticky notes taking up unnecessary space in your home office. You’ll need to do a little cleaning and organizing to encourage you to be more productive.
Have a weekly clean-up to prevent clutter from piling up again. You could also invest in storage boxes and containers to better organize the items around your home office. When there’s less clutter around you, it becomes easier to focus on what you’re doing.
4. Don’t shy away from decorations
There’s certainly a difference between distracting clutter and decorations. Having decorations helps give your home office more personality.
Here are some décor ideas:
- Place a patterned rug to tie the room together
- Add a stylish trash can
- Put mirrors up
- Install a bookshelf
- Keep framed photos of your loved ones
- Get a clock
Remember: it’s your home office, so the decor should reflect your tastes. Just make sure that your space remains functional and comfortable.
5. Let nature in
Some of the best decorations you can include in your home office are plants. Indoor plants have been found to boost your mental health and improve your mood. Add greenery to your home office by placing a few plants around your office or on your desk to help make your office a more productive environment.
It’s best to place plants near a window to get the sunlight they need to thrive. However, if your area doesn’t have a window, you can be resourceful and place them in different locations, like on shelves.
Alternatively, letting nature in doesn’t necessarily mean bringing in live plants. You can hang up nature-inspired wall art, paint your walls green, or use a rustic wood desk.
6. Practice mise en place
French chefs practice mise en place—French for “putting in place”—when they prepare to cook in the kitchen. Before getting started, they ensure they have everything needed within reach, like ingredients and knives.
This practice helps them be organized and efficient; they won’t have to keep disrupting their focus to find a missing ingredient. You can practice this too in your own home office.
Make sure you have everything that you’ll be needing within your reach. You can install corkboards and cabinets on your walls to organize your supplies and make them accessible without leaving the room and breaking your focus.
Wrapping Up
Improving your home office is a worthwhile investment, especially if you spend most of your day in it. It may not only help increase your productivity, but it could also boost your mood. Invest in better furniture today and routinely try to reduce clutter to keep your home office a great place to work in.
Author Bio
Rose Flores is a licensed real estate broker and the co-founder of RE/MAX Gold Philippines, a real estate company in the Philippines. Acting and real estate have always been her passions since childhood. She confidently helps close record-breaking deals for residential and commercial buyers while leading her team to success. Check out their website at remaxgold.ph.
