If you work from home, or are a student, then having a well-designed home office is a must. Since you aren’t surrounded by colleagues or being watched over by your boss, it is natural to become unmotivated and distracted at home. Improving your workspace by keeping the place clean, secluded and organised, is a simple fix to this issue. Just follow our design tips, and you will easily create the perfect, productive home office.
Separate space
It is important to have your own private space for your home office. A secluded, quiet part of the house is best, away from distracting noises and household chores that need to be done. Ideally, your office should be in a room of its own, so you can close the door for privacy and peace. If that’s not possible, you could put up a screen or divider and create a separate space in a corner of the house. This separation of your home life and work life will encourage your brain to change from home mode to work mode when you enter the office.
Clean office
Make sure you have sufficient storage space in your home office, as this will mean you can keep the place neat and tidy much more easily. Having a clean office is imperative, as when clutter starts to build up, such as old coffee mugs and stacks of paper and books, it can be very distracting and stressful. Mess usually makes the mind feel messy and overwhelmed, and that is the last thing you want.
Good lighting
A room with large windows that let in lots of natural light is perfect, it will perk you up in the mornings and is proven to be healthier than a room only lit by fluorescent lights. However, you must have enough light on cloudy days, and in the evening, so make sure you have sufficient ceiling lighting as well. A desk lamp is a good idea as well, as it ensures you avoid eye strain from working in low lighting. Don’t overdo the lighting though, because ambience is an important part of motivating yourself.
Add plants
Introducing plants into your home office is a must. They freshen up the space, and create a relaxing, natural feeling which is beneficial for a place that is dominated by screens and technology. According to a Norwegian study, desk plants and flowers help to improve attention rates and make people more focused. If you don’t have a green thumb, and are afraid you will be stuck with a depressing, dead plant instead, buy a cactus or a succulent, or even position your desk in front of a window with plants growing outside it.
Personal touches
One of the main benefits of working at home is that you can personalise your home office. You know what motivates you, so create the perfect space where you feel energised and ready to work. This could be anything from putting inspirational quotes on the walls, having photos of friends and family on your desk, or decorating the room with colours and knick-knacks that cheer you up.
