Creating a home office that inspires creativity and aids in productivity throughout the day is no easy task, especially with all the distractions of everyday life. You have to spend eight hours of your day there (or let’s be real, more like nine or ten), so make your home office a place you actually want to spend that much time and one that allows you to get all of your work done efficiently. Here are a few simple tips to make your home office a more productive and enjoyable space.
Boost Your Mood With Color and Light
If you don’t know where to start, the paint color on your walls might be the first place to turn to when creating an inspiring work space. We all know color affects our mood, so if you’re looking for an energizing space that inspires creativity, consider painting your walls a bold color that is uplifting in a gloss or semi-gloss finish to reflect more light. Wallpaper is also a great way to create movement and radiate a more vibrant energy. Conversely, if you’re looking for a quiet space where you can concentrate and focus, choose a calming, neutral color in a matte or eggshell finish to provide as little distraction as possible and create a calm, meditative space.
If you’re using a freestanding desk instead of a window, placing your desk so that it faces a window allows you to work with natural light, which is supposed to help improve your mood, make you more alert and potentially even boost your metabolism. Yes, please! If you don’t have a window you could opt for LED bulbs that mimic daylight and take breaks throughout the day to step outside and get some sunlight.
Optimize Your Ergonomics and Workflow
The major component of creating a highly functional home office is your furniture and the layout of your furniture. Consider your workflow and what essential items you will need in the space to optimize your flow throughout the day. Do you use your printer frequently throughout the day? Keep it close so you don’t have to get up frequently to retrieve your papers and consider keeping it on your dominant hand side to make quick grabs easy.
Creating an ergonomically sound work station can improve comfort, health and productivity by protecting your back, neck, shoulders and wrists from unnecessary strain. Adjust your chair so that your feet are flat on the floor and your shoulders feel relaxed when your arms are placed on the armrests. Place your monitor an arm’s length in front of you with the top of the screen at eye level. Keep your wrists straight to avoid pain or injury while typing or using a mouse. Investing in an ultra-comfy chair is a great way to ensure your eight hour day in front of the computer is as bearable as possible. Can’t find one you like or that matches your decor? Give us a call and we can create one to your specifications that will leave the rest of your coworkers green with envy on your next zoom meeting.
Who Needs a Corner Office When You Can Have a Micro Office
If you live in a small city apartment and don’t have the space to turn a whole room into a designated office there are plenty of ways to make a highly functional micro office. A small sliver of wall space can be turned into a foldaway office with a petite wall-mounted desk that can be tucked away when not in use. Taking advantage of the vertical space by installing cork boards, dry erase or chalk boards, or metal grids with clips and hooks is another great way to maximize and tidy your space in a small, yet highly functional way. If you don’t like the look of items hanging from clips you can install shelves and store your supplies in stylish boxes that match your decor. If all else fails, having a filing system to keep you organized while you work on a laptop at the kitchen island is another great option. You can repurpose an old trunk or chest into a systematized micro office with some filing folders, a label maker and a can-do attitude!
