With the concept of the modern workforce constantly evolving, many of us have been working from home longer than originally anticipated. You may be one of the lucky ones who already has a fully functional, dedicated home office.
For the rest of us, we’ve needed to be resourcefully creative with our kitchens, dining areas, bedrooms and random spare “rooms” to transform these makeshift spaces somehow into productive work-from-home offices.
Fortunately, it’s not as difficult as you might think with the right approach. Follow these simple tips, and you’ll be able to create a comfortable and efficient workspace in no time with minimal effort.
Table of Contents
- Before You Choose a Space to Transform
- Setup the Tools of Your Workspace
- Accessorize for a Calming Atmosphere
- Take Advantage of Natural Light
- Personalize Your Space
- Setup Proper Ergonomics
- Choose the Right Technology
- Establish Healthy Work Habits
- Keep Your Workspace Clean and Organized
- Balance Your Family Life and Office Work
- Closing Comments
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Before You Choose a Space to Transform
When transforming a space in your home into a temporary yet productive office space, obviously the most important decision you will make is choosing the right spot. The room or area you select should be comfortable, quiet, and well-lit to ensure an optimal working environment. It should also be large enough for a desk, chair, and any other items you may need for your work.
However, without proper preparation, you may miss a “diamond in the rough” by not taking proper assessment of your prospects by first decluttering, reimagining your newly cleaned spaces, and investigating ways to improve natural lighting.
After decluttering and clearing out any unnecessary items from a prospective space, check that you can arrange your furniture in such a way that allows you to maximize the area available.
Placing your desk near a window will enhance your experience of natural lighting. Don’t forget about the backdrop décor for those online conference calls. A clean and professional look is always best, but feel free to inject a bit of your own flavor to your space.
Setup the Tools of Your Workspace
Now that you have organized the space, it’s time to set up the details of your workstation. Ensure you have all the items necessary for productivity, such as a laptop, cell phone, printer, stationery supplies, and other office essentials.
Place your desk in such a way that allows you to sit comfortably, including having enough legroom. Also be sure to invest in a comfortable office chair, as you will spend most of your time there.
Use a power strip to accommodate the additional electrical items, such as a laptop, desk lamp, power cord for cell phone, and a ring light for those all too important Zoom calls.
Accessorize for a Calming Atmosphere
To make your home office more inviting, add some accessories to it. Creating a pleasant atmosphere in your home office or study space is vital to having a productive workspace. The right atmosphere can help reduce stress, boost productivity and enhance creativity.
Hang inspiring artwork on the walls, or place decorative items like plants, flowers and candles that can help create a more calming atmosphere. Adding these elements will help create a more calming space that can help reduce stress levels.
There are also plenty of other gadgets available such as noise-canceling headphones, desktop lamps, and wall organizers, that can help make your workspace more efficient. For an additional boost to improve your concentration, also consider listening to lo-fi music to keep your focus for longer periods of time.
Acoustical panels are an effective and attractive way to mute unwanted and distracting noise, as they are available in many different colors, designs, shapes and sizes.
Take Advantage of Natural Light
Once you have organized the space and set up your workspace, it is essential to clear the area and ensure it has enough natural light.
Natural light is crucial to productivity as it helps increase energy levels in the body and reduce fatigue. Proper lighting also helps boost alertness and concentration, which can help you focus better when working from home.
If a room doesn’t have enough natural light, consider investing in task lighting or even artificial sunlight lamps to help compensate for its lack, or other daylight harvesting solutions.
Personalize Your Space
Adding color, art, and plants to your workspace can help make it more personalized and enjoyable. This will also help you create a work-life balance, allowing you to take breaks to admire your creations. Also, research shows that adding some greenery, like indoor plants, into the space can increase productivity levels and improve moods.
Consider adding a potted Aloe Vera to keep the air clean, a Peace Lily to increase the humidity in the area or a Snake Plant to reduce pollutants in the space.
Setup Proper Ergonomics
To create a comfortable and efficient workspace, it is essential to set up your chair, desk, and computer with proper ergonomics in mind.
The critical thing to do is adjust the height of your chair so that your feet are flat on the floor, while you type at a 90-degree angle. This will help alleviate any fatigue or discomfort resulting from an incorrect posture.
Additionally, it is essential to make sure that your monitor is at the correct distance from your eyes and that the keyboard is at a comfortable height for typing. You should also ensure that your mouse or trackpad is easy to reach without leaning forward or stretching.
To further enhance the comfort and efficiency of your workspace, consider adding lumbar support cushions or armrests if necessary. This can help reduce strain on your back, neck, and shoulders while typing or working on tasks.
Additionally, make sure you can easily switch between sitting and standing by investing in a sit/stand desk solution. Regular daily breaks will also help keep you energized and focused on work tasks.
When setting up an ergonomic work environment, office furniture configuration should also be considered. Make sure there’s enough room for all the necessary office items such as printers, and scanners, but also leave some open space around them for fresh air circulation. If space permits, consider adding additional desks for visiting coworkers, so there’s plenty of room for collaboration.
Continue paying attention to lighting and make adjustments as necessary. For example, try using natural light whenever possible instead of relying solely on artificial sources, such as overhead fluorescent lights, which can cause eye strain over time. To further reduce monitor glare, try using semi-opaque window curtains, which will let in just enough light but minimize potential reflections off screens during the day – allowing you to focus without distraction during work hours.
Choose the Right Technology
To make sure that your home office or study space is equipped with all the necessary technology items, it is essential to research the best options available.
When choosing a printer, consider the types of documents you will be printing, the speed at which you need them printed, and the quality of print you require. Some other factors to consider when buying a printer include whether or not it has wireless capabilities, whether or not it can handle multiple page sizes, and if it supports duplex printing.
When shopping for a scanner, also consider what type of documents you’ll be scanning most often. A flatbed scanner may be enough for your needs if you mainly check text documents. However, a higher-end model may be required for more specialized tasks like scanning photographs and artwork. Additionally, if you intend to use your scanner for archiving purposes, look for one with OCR (Optical Character Recognition) capabilities to extract text from your scanned documents easily.
In addition to purchasing a printer and scanner for your home office or study space, several other technology items may come in handy depending on your individual needs. For example, an external hard drive may be helpful if you need additional storage space for large files or archives of past projects.
A document shredder is also essential when dealing with confidential information, as this helps ensure that sensitive data is disposed of securely. Finally, consider investing in surge protectors to prevent damage from unexpected power surges or spikes in electricity in the area.
Overall, having all the right technology items in your home office or study space can help improve productivity levels significantly by increasing efficiency and streamlining processes involved in completing tasks such as printing documents or scanning images accurately and quickly. Make sure to research before purchasing items suited to meet your specific needs and any future requirements that may arise over time.
Establish Healthy Work Habits
Healthy work habits ensure maximum productivity and efficiency while working from home. Daily breaks help reinvigorate the mind, reduce stress, and enhance focus and concentration.
A break should ideally last between 5 minutes to half an hour, depending on the individual’s needs. During these breaks, it is essential to get up from the desk and move around or do something unrelated to work, such as reading a book, talking to a friend, or listening to music. This will help clear the mind and provide a much-needed respite from the daily grind of work.
In addition to taking regular breaks, establishing other healthy habits, such as eating nutritious meals at regular intervals and getting sufficient sleep every night, can also help improve productivity levels significantly.
Lastly, ensure that your workspace is comfortable and well-lit, so you don’t feel too cramped or fatigued after spending extended periods in front of the computer screen.
Keep Your Workspace Clean and Organized
It is essential to keep your workspace tidy and organized with daily cleaning routines when working from home. This will help keep your mind clear and focused, which in turn will significantly boost your productivity.
A good daily cleaning routine should begin by dusting all surfaces in the home office or study space, including the computer monitor, desk, shelves, keyboard, and mouse. Dust can accumulate quickly on surfaces and cause static build-up, disrupting electronic devices such as printers or scanners.
Once all surfaces have been dusted off thoroughly, it’s time to wipe them down using a damp cloth or microfiber towel to remove any dirt or debris that may have accumulated during the day. Additionally, furniture should be polished regularly as this helps restore its luster and prevents it from fading over time.
In addition to physical objects in your workspace, cleaning up digital clutter is essential. Files stored on your computer should be sorted into folders for easy accessibility, and documents downloaded from the Internet should be scanned for viruses before opening. Backing up files onto an external hard drive is also recommended for added security purposes in case of any unexpected data loss due to technical issues.
Lastly, uninstalling any unnecessary software from your computer can free up valuable storage space while maintaining system efficiency at optimal levels.
Ultimately, establishing a regular daily cleaning routine will go a long way toward improving overall productivity and efficiency when working from home. Not only does this help maintain a sense of orderliness within the workspace, and it allows individuals to focus better without worrying about distractions caused by clutter on their desks.
Balance Your Family Life and Office Work
Balancing family life and office work is essential to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Setting clear boundaries between office hours and family members helps meet work commitments and personal obligations.
Additionally, scheduling tasks ahead of time can help individuals set priorities while creating dedicated spaces within the home specifically for office work allows one to focus better without distractions or interruptions from other household members.
Moreover, taking regular breaks throughout the day helps people stay motivated while giving them enough time to tend to personal needs.
Closing Comments
Working from home can be a great way to stay productive and efficient, but only if certain healthy habits are instilled. Regular breaks throughout the day are essential for maintaining focus and concentration, while cleaning up after oneself helps create an orderly workspace, increasing productivity significantly.
Additionally, stocking up on office supplies such as stationery items, office furniture, and office accessories can provide the necessary tools for efficiently completing tasks. Ultimately, working from home can be a great way to stay productive and successful with the right attitude and dedication.
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