Everyone is more productive in an environment where we can think properly, there are no distractions and, most importantly, in a place where it inspires us. Most offices are built and designed to improve employees’ productivity, but our home office usually needs more of that feature. Especially now that everyone is shifting on work from home, we can renovate our space better. It doesn’t matter if you have your own business, work for yourself at home full time, or sometimes bring office work to your house. We can help you successfully set up an effective home office.
Make an Exclusive and Private Space for Home Office
Focusing on work is harder if many people walk around, pet barking, and music playing in the background. It is hard to be productive if there are so many distractions going around, but it is also humiliating to your office mates if there are so many interruptions. This is why you need a private or exclusive office space. If you don’t have an extra private room, just arrange your home office in the quietest part of your home. It is advisable to put it in the corner where people rarely pass by on it, if it’s near the window, you can consider getting soundproof windows. This will block all the outside noise like busy roads, chattering outside, pets, and delivery guys. Moreover, you can purchase a room divider to ensure that there will be no clutter or any background mess that will appear while on video meetings.
Make Use of Natural Light and Install Proper Lighting
Research shows that the greater the lighting in an area and the more luminous it is, the higher the productivity is. This is why lighting plays a significant part in your productivity levels, and as mentioned above, you should place your home office where there is natural light going in. Placing your office near windows can utilize natural sunlight, moreover, it is cooler, and you can rest your eyes by looking outside when you take breaks. Inappropriate lighting can make you lazy and, even worse, strain your eyes. If you don’t have access to natural light, you can install task lights or put lamps on your office table.
Get a Proper Desk and Chair
Sitting uncomfortably can hinder your productivity levels, not only that, but it can also cause you to have improper posture. This is why you need to invest in a proper desk and office chair. If you are not the type of person who sits most of the time, you can also get a standing desk as an alternative. You can sit for hours and stand in between. While standing can be tiring for you, it is still a great alternative to prevent any cardiovascular issues and obesity. In terms of office chair, get one which has good seat height, adjustable backrest, and is very stable.
Keep Your Space Clean
Keeping your home office clean will also improve your productivity. You can do that by having drawers for the office essentials and getting rid of things that you will not use and won’t need. It will also help you keep a routine where you tidy up your table every after working. Put notebooks and papers inside the drawer, get pen holders, and file any folders that you have. This way, you can also organize and, at the same time, decorate your home office.
Have a Way to Monitor Your Time
You might think that sitting the whole day and focusing on work makes you productive, you are wrong. Studies suggest that we can be more productive if we take breaks while working. Taking short breaks in between work can refresh our mind and improve our focus hence better output. Working from home sometimes makes us forget about the time, this is why you should keep track of your time. Monitoring how much time you’ve worked will help you maintain working regularly and not forced yourself to work more than what is minimum and required. More importantly, setting time reminders will help you not forget meals and other important things that need your time and attention.
Working from home has a lot of benefits, but at the same time, it also has disadvantages, and one of that is keeping your productivity level high. Getting a proper home office will surely be helpful in that regard. Lastly, just make sure that you still maintain that life and work balance.
