RETHINK HOME OFFICE

Do you think that our world has changed for good? We have been on lockdown for over two months already, and many of us have been working from home. Are you enjoying working this way? Can you stay focused and motivated? Are you productive? Here are some tips on how to make your home office a creative space, where you will enjoy working.

1. Find a space you can dedicate for your home office – if you can have an entire room for yourself that would be perfect. If not, let’s work with what you have. Even if you need to share it with your significant other, or it is part of the kitchen, living room or den. As long as you can have a dedicated space where you can have a desk and some privacy, you can create your little sanctuary. From a psychological point of view, I would not recommend the bedroom. This is where you should have relaxing and resting energy, and this does not necessarily work well with staying motivated and energized, so avoid it if you can.

2. Think Chic – your space should inspire you and reflect your personality. Don’t be afraid to go all in and add some bold accents or a feature wall. Create a gallery wall with something which will help you stay motivated, like a quote, or maybe a picture of your dream house or place that you always want to go. Anything that you can briefly focus your attention on and put you in a good mood will you work.

3. Think about ergonomics and invest in a comfortable chair – Even the most beautiful office won’t let you be productive if, after a few hours, your entire body will hurt or ache. The work station should be designed with ergonomics in mind, for example, it is crucial to have a good chair, which will support your back. Here is a simple graphic which will help you understand what distances are best to keep you comfortable. An ergonomic chair doesn’t have to be boring. A lot of designer chairs look fantastic and have all the needed functions. I would say that a good chair is the piece you should spend the most money on.

4. Add plants – it is scientifically proven that plants reduce levels of stress, they clean the air and help with creativity. If you are like me and don’t have a green thumb, I have good news for you! There are plants that are easy to maintain. They will survive even if you know nothing about them like me. Yes, there were times when I killed even a cactus! My new favorite plant is a snake plant, it looks modern, works magic by cleaning the air from all the bad electronic energy and doesn’t need much light or watering!

5. Use a monitor, keyboard and mouse even if you work on a laptop – this was a game-changer for me. It helped me create an ergonomic space. I adjusted the height of my monitor to eye level, positioned the keyboard for more comfortable typing, and I stopped being tired after a few hours of work. I also started to work much faster! If you have a laptop, you should consider investing in a docking station; you will have all your wires organized and connecting/un-connecting the laptop will take seconds. 

6. Area Rug - here we can go crazy. An area rug can be fun, colorful, patterned, and the texture will add a homey feeling to the office space.

7. Light, light and light. – If you are lucky to have a big window in your office – great! Move the desk as close as possible to the window. Natural light is the best source, but even with a big window, you need to add some light sources. It is best for our eyes to have three sources of lighting in the office in addition to natural light. First is the overhead lighting, which isn’t the most significant office lighting source and it surely shouldn’t be the sole source. It can help fill in places that other sources of light seem to miss.  The task light is a must. A desk lamp or floor lamp is essential to have. The dedicated task light is critical for avoiding eye strain and keeping focused. If you choose only one of these lighting options, go for this one. Eye strain is a serious problem that is caused by excessive focus of your eyes, like staring at a computer monitor for eight hours. Throw a little ambient light into the mix. It will create an inviting atmosphere and will help soften the harsh light that can come from using just overhead or task lighting.

8. Let’s talk about colours. – It is crucial to use preferred colours in a space whenever possible. When we see preferred colours, we are more likely to be in a good mood, be friendlier, be better at problem solving and think more creatively. Each hue has different characteristics. It is generally known yellow is a happy colour, green is tranquil, and red is energized. However, according to Dr. Sally Augustin research has tied seeing certain hues to a very particular psychological outcomes, which you should consider if you are planning a lot of video conference calls.

When you look at the colour green, we’re more likely to think creatively,

Seeing even a small amount of red briefly degrades our ability to think analytically.

Seeing the colour pink makes women feel more optimistic.

Black is linked to power, high cost and sophistication.

Yellow is simultaneously associated with the sun and happiness but also with cowardice and treachery.

Blue is linked to trustworthiness, competence and dependability.

Purple is tied to sophistication.

9. Organize your space –We are all familiar with the phrase “Tidy office, tidy mind,” and it tends to be true. As you set out to tackle projects, deadlines and items on your to-do list in your home office, a clean and organized workspace can only improve your productivity. Piles of bills, documents, or magazines can create anxious feelings, so make sure you have a filing cabinet or at least shelves with binders, which will help you stay organized and remove clutter. Invest in desk accessories and add storage. You can mix décor with storage by adding beautiful baskets or vases. 

If you feel that you need help with creating your home office reach out to us. I will be more than happy to help.