When the 2020 global pandemic hit, most companies had to create a working setup where teams worked from home. But what we thought would only be temporary has, for many people, turned into a long-term way of working.
As the health crisis wanes, many organizations now have a hybrid setup where staff time is split between working from the company office or the home office.
However, staying focused and maintaining productivity can sometimes be challenging, especially with no one breathing down your neck and yelling about work deadlines. Often, people who slack off and are unmotivated lack essential things around their home office space that help keep them focused. Take your home office to the next level with these simple upgrades that enhance style and function, creating the perfect work environment.
- Set apart a specific space
If you don’t have enough rooms to designate a separate room for the home office and no time to check new homes for sale in San Antonio, use room dividers to carve out some space from a larger room and dictate it to an office. This provides sufficient privacy, a less distracting area for work, and even a background for virtual meetings. Get a folding-style room divider that you can easily pack up and stash as needed. But for more permanent changes, use cube storage or freestanding, large bookshelves to separate a room while providing you plenty of storage space for supplies.
- Set up your desk
Even with a home office, you likely do most of your work at your desk. So ensure your desk is leveled up with basic organization skills and tools.
Your desk should have enough space to fit essential things you need for work and some additional space where you can push things you don’t use that often. Pen and pencil holders, filing systems, and mini drawers are some effective organization tools. Apart from de-cluttering and organizing, investing in a standing desk that can be lowered or raised with other preset options is also one of the best ways to level up your workspace.
- Get an ergonomic chair.
Your work chair is one of the most important elements of your home office setup. And maintaining the correct sitting position not only helps you stay healthy but also enables you to sit in one position for an extended period without taking regular breaks for stretches or constantly fidgeting around. A comfortable desk chair should offer lumbar support, follow the spine’s natural curvature, and be easily adjustable so that you can customize it to your needs. Wrong sitting positions will most likely cause you headaches and back pain. Ensure the armrests offer sufficient support for your arms, your elbows and knees are bent at 90-degree angles, and the chair is comfortable but stiff enough to align your body correctly. A comfortable, ergonomic chair can help you keep at your best to finish tasked projects.
- Ensure a supportive and comfortable flooring
You might have opted for an adjustable chair for more comfort or even converter kits to help transition your office desk from standing to sitting. Or maybe you got a sit-stand desk. But most people often ignore the surface below the desk and chair. Working from a home office comes with relaxation in mind. You can always walk bare feet or with some slippers. With better flooring materials such as cork flooring or anti-fatigue rugs, you reduce discomfort from things like cold and get enough support while standing at your desk. You can also get antibacterial surface or plush rug padded mats for cushioned support.
- Opt for a whiteboard
A working whiteboard is vital as it helps you visualize your ideas or thoughts and record split-second, random epiphanies before forgetting them. Whiteboards make your office look professional, and they serve as perfect reminders. It’s not easy to forget about things that are visible and staring you in the face whenever you access your workspace. A whiteboard also ensures you stay organized, and you always have space for random things such as drawing when you lose focus or get bored.
- Add a wallpaper
Add some color to your office space! Renovate your at-home office space with some vibrant, beautiful wallpaper. This makes your work area neat and fun and gives you a stunning backdrop for virtual meetings and video calls. And it provides the room with some extra energy that makes one excited and thrilled to show up each day and get some work done. Removable wallpaper is best when you want to try different vibes.
- Surround your office with personalized decor
After a few hours of work, you might start feeling some mental fatigue and opt to go for a short break. Breaks lasting 5 to 10 minutes are sufficient to relax the brain, but during that time, you need to distract your mind and keep it off work by focusing on pleasurable and fun things. Adding art, decorative objects, interesting images, and particular things that give you joy, like your first guitar, a picture of a loved one, or an object with a lot of emotional value, helps combat the fatigue and put your mind at ease.
- Improve Lighting
Your home office might lack good lighting because it wasn’t initially designated to be an office. Ideally, your space should allow natural light, so try setting up the desk near a window. But if it’s inadequate, you should add a good, adjustable lamp to provide enough task lighting. According to studies, cooler light with shades of blue improves concentration, while warmer lights that skew more yellow increases creativity. Low lighting can deteriorate eyesight and make you feel drowsy and depressed.
- Use the wall space for storage and planning.
Although your work is mostly accomplished on a computer, it should not be the only available space for planning, storing files, and finding your inspiration. A hands-on strategy is also effective. Use a picture frame and a sheet metal to build a simple hanging board that can help you update to-do lists, display inspiring visuals, and keeps task details active. This is also a great way to save extra space on your desk and generally ensure things are more organized and manageable.
- Invest in colorful designs
Boring, bland color designs don’t promote productivity and creativity. If you want to enhance motivation, you need a space that makes you feel relaxed and comfortable, which is easily achievable by spicing things up with bright colors. Create a fun office area where you can stay for many hours without feeling depressed or claustrophobic. Add a fresh, colorful coat of wall paint, colorful supplies on the desk, some prints or paintings, or a new mat or rug.
Summary
A small home space can serve as an office, but making that space become an optimal working environment needs mindfulness, time, and essential tools. To feel your best and do great work, you need a tidy workplace decorated with quality items to your liking and has a professional yet relaxed atmosphere. The goal is motivation, so ensure you level up your home office to keep yourself motivated and happy. Learn more at Krafitis.
