Tips for designing your own home office
What was once perceived as a luxury, owning office space in the home today, is becoming more and more common, with remote work being a viable option for a growing number of employees post-COVID.
Whether you work from home a few mornings or a 50-hour week, it is very important to create the right environment to maintain your health, joy and productivity.
If you are thinking of designing your own home office, or looking for inspiration to update your current workspace, here are 6 quick tips for designing a home office that works.
Be inspired, but stay realistic
Searching for inspiration is a great way to get ideas, but do not lose the ultimate goal.
The same beautiful vintage table you saw on Pinterest may look fantastic, but will it provide a place to work on your project? And this decorated buffet may fit the one in your dining room, but is it really practical for regular use?
Look for inspiration, but try to find furniture and fittings that will not interfere with your work, or that will make you more and more uncomfortable as the day gets longer.
Look for practical furniture that does the job it needs to do - maintains comfort and is productive.
Provide enough storage space
Although computers and monitors take up the most space, you will probably still have a lot of paperwork, so it is important to provide ample storage space to prevent your home office from being cluttered. A regular filing cabinet may feel ugly, so look for alternatives like storage compartments.
If you rely on visual reminders to complete tasks, check out wall-mounted storage options that keep things in sight, such as pins or boards, or magazine shelves.
If bookcases are something you need, get one large enough to avoid overfilling, or if you need to use it as a background for conference/ Zoom calls.
Ergonomic thinking
Understanding body mechanics and the importance of correct sitting can help prevent the most common causes of back pain and work-related pains.
Chances are your most common office tool is your computer, so creating a place to customize it should be an important consideration.
The top of your monitor should be at eye level or slightly below, and your forearms should be parallel to the floor in typing mode.
The feet should rest firmly on the floor, or on the footstool of the chairs.
Provide enough light
Make sure you have enough access to light.
Access to natural sunlight is the best option, but with bad weather comes poor light, so think about your indoor lighting options.
The light you need will depend on how you work. If you often work on papers, or look down at a desk, a traditional table lamp will probably work best.
If your needs change, look for more versatile options, such as a rotary lamp.
Throw in some green
Plants make us happy.
Countless studies have shown that they reduce stress, increase well-being and increase productivity.
Placing them in any inhabited space is helpful, but especially in the workplace.
Think about adding one or two flower pots to your home office, such as a small one on your adjustable table, and larger plants somewhere around the room.
While living plants also help clear the air, the visual stimulation of synthetic plants provides similar benefits, so if you do not feel you can keep real plants, you can go and pretend instead.
Make it whole
One of the biggest benefits of a home office is that you can customize it to your liking, so do not forget to add your personal touch to the environment.
Adding elements that directly appeal to you can help stimulate creativity, and also make you feel happier, both can help productivity!
Add some of your favorite pieces to the walls, post some family photos, or hang a poster of your favorite band. Paint the walls with your favorite colors or place decorations in an empty storage space. There are lots of options out there that can make you look forward to spending the day in your office, so make the most of controlling your environment.
