Have you had to transition to working from home since the coronavirus pandemic? Maybe your place of employment converted you to a remote worker, or you’ve decided to take this opportunity to start your own business. No matter what your current circumstances are, having a functional and comfortable space to work from makes getting through each day a lot easier.
Find a Large Space or Room
The first step would be to find a place in your home that is large enough to place all the furniture and supplies you’ll need for your home office. This could be a spare room, your attic, or your basement. When selecting a space for your new office, don’t forget to position yourself as far away from distractions like the TV, your kids, pets, and the kitchen so you can remain productive.
Clear Out the Clutter
If the area you’ve chosen is filled with boxes, furniture, or other items that don’t belong in an office, remove them. This will ensure your safety and also provide as much space as possible to design and decorate your home office. You should discard anything that is broken or damaged, donate things to charity, and even have a yard sale to get rid of things you don’t want. You can use the cash you make to purchase items for your home office.
Apply a Fresh Coat of Paint
Starring at bare white walls all day long can be pretty uninspiring. To personalize your workspace and improve productivity, change your wall colors. Opt for something professional like shades of grey, blue, or tan. You can also consider colors like red, yellow, and orange which are known for boosting your mood and enhancing creativity. If you don’t want to paint the entire room, there’s also the option to incorporate a feature wall. Simply select a wall that you’ll paint a different color than the rest of the room. Once the paint has dried, add wall decor like a mirror, clock, family photos, or artwork.
Order Your Furniture and Supplies
During current times, it still isn’t ideal to go shopping unless absolutely necessary. To get the things you need to furnish your home office, turn to the internet. You can order a desk, chair, computer, lamp, area rug, artwork, vases, tables, chairs, office supplies, and whatever else you need to complete your job or accessorize your office. When ordering furniture, be sure to keep things like ergonomics in mind. Invest in a desk, chair, computer, and keyboard that allows you to sit comfortably at your desk.
Another important note when shopping for office furniture and supplies online is to have fun. There are many different colors, sizes, shapes, patterns, and styles for you to choose from to personalize your workspace. The more personal details you add to your workspace, the more comfortable it feels as you spend hours in there working.
Incorporate Wellness
Adding various wellness elements to your home office improves your health and enhances your comfort level, therefore, increasing your productivity. You can purchase aromatherapy candles or diffusers of essential oils for a nice fragrance, add a stereo system to listen to soothing music throughout the day, incorporate indoor plants for improved air quality, and purchase blinds and sheers for access to more sunlight.
Choose a Functional Layout
The layout of your home office matters considerably. When you haphazardly place things in the space, it can make workflow processes more difficult to manage. When considering the layout of your home office, keep your daily tasks in mind. For example, if you frequently need to make copies or scans, you’d want to keep the printer/scanner located close to your computer. Make sure that everything you need is easily accessible without being too cluttered.
It takes a lot to get used to working from home, but having a designated space to get your job done can make a big difference. This is especially true when you take the time to design a space that is both functional and comfortable.