Working from home is a fact of everyday life for millions of people across the US – more than 27% of the workforce regularly make the “long commute” from the bedroom to the home office.
Digital tools have enabled communication between colleagues in different locations to be seamless – but the home work spaces that we inhabit are often not designed for wellness or for a day as productive as one in a shared, professional office.
We love creating and curating home office spaces. Combining the best of comfort and ergonomics, it’s key to develop an environment that is calming, practical and efficient for you. To help you in that mission, we have developed an interactive guide detailing how to design your home office for improved productivity, efficiency and well-being.
From how to organize your home office desk to finding the perfect temperature for working, explore our in-depth guide to learn more. Take a look at our five-point plan below to get started!
1. Start With Comfort
Working well depends, first and foremost, on how and where you sit. Find a spot with plenty of natural light, as well as a clear and level work surface that allows you to keep your forearms level and your feet on the ground. Choose a chair that gives your back firm and comfortable support – it’s all about making your desk a pleasant place to be. Once you’re happy to be there, you can work on building a great space around you.
2. Turn On The Light
We spend so much time on screens and devices that it’s easy to forget the constant strain on our eyes that working digitally can inflict. Working in a bright, consistently lit environment is best. Strong sunshine can reduce efficiency and cause problems for your technology too, so think tactically about where the light is in your office during working hours. If you need to burn the midnight oil, find a lamp that offers you something akin to daylight – check out our guide to find out more. Mirrors are also a great idea for making the most of the light available.
3. Go Clutter-Free
It may seem a simple thing, but imposing a bit of order and clearing out the clutter can be transformative. “But I know where everything is!” you might cry, but clutter has been proven to significantly damage your workplace efficiency. Schedule times to keep on top of organization, choose furniture with innovative storage solutions and make the most of digital filing alternatives where possible – there’s no need to accept clutter as a fact of your working life.
4. Understand Color
We all love to use color in our homes to create a unique environment that reflects our personality and style. But color can impact our mood and behavior, so choosing the right shades for your home office design is crucially important. Darker or warmer colors promote an atmosphere of rest, while brighter, springtime colors feel more naturally invigorating and make the most of the light – embracing these tones is the best way to use color for encouraging sustained productivity throughout the day. Stumped on what colors to choose? Explore our various paint palettes from Sherwin-Williams for help!
5. Change Your Habits
You can do so much to design your home office to support productivity, but the simplest – and sometimes most effective – way to make a difference today is to reform your routine to make the most of your time.
Eat healthily, get out and about for regular walking breaks and take a sensible approach to stress – no comfy chair is going to make your day better if you don’t find your job workable or worthwhile.
Source: potterybarn.com; http://blog.potterybarn.com/how-to-design-your-home-office-for-improved-productivity/
