When office buildings and businesses of all kinds closed their doors last spring, many of us transitioned to working from home full-time. The luckiest among us already had a separate room that could be repurposed into an office (or maybe it was even already set up as one). Meanwhile some people have been making do, working wherever they can find a quiet spot, a different room everyday. 2020 truly taught us to roll with the punches no matter what, and finding a place to get work done has been no different. However, working in your kitchen, living room, front porch or even in bed doesn’t always add up to a great deal of productivity.
Even if you already had a workspace at home that you utilized on flex days, you’ve likely found that working at home full time is a completely different experience from completing tasks inside a professional office building. The good news is, you can create a professional work environment in your home, either in a separate room to be used as a dedicated office, or as a nook carved out of a larger room. By choosing your office décor wisely, and laying out some ground rules for yourself and your family, you can make working from home just as successful as travelling into the office.
Location, Location, Location
If you are starting from scratch creating your home office, or are at least willing to consider relocating it, the location you choose in your home makes a lot of difference in terms of your long term productivity. Think about what part of your house is quieter than others, and where you will be most likely to avoid distractions and interruptions. For some people this might be a converted attic space, or in the basement. For others it could be the room over a detached garage. You should take into account both outside noise, and the distractions that come from other people in your home. Some experts caution against using the sitting room area in your master bedroom as an office, but if your bedroom is located away from the daily traffic of your home, it might not be a bad choice after all.
Similarly, do not feel obligated to use the room in your home that was billed as a home office when you purchased the house, if there are other, better options available. In many newer builds, the room labeled office is located just inside the front door, often in view of the street and sidewalk. If your neighbors walking by, deliveries or lawn service are likely to be distracting to your work, this might not be the best place in your home for an office.
Create the Right View
If you have a full room you can dedicate to home office space, you likely have one or more windows. For those of you who are carving workspace out of another room, setting up your work area in view of a window is definitely something to shoot for. But what is outside that window is just as important as having one in the first place. Don’t underestimate the importance of attractive foliage! Planting a decorative shrub or flowering tree just outside your office window can boost your mood just by giving you something pleasant to look up at. A birdbath or small fountain is another wonderful idea for something to place outside your office window.
Choose the Right Paint Color
Certain colors are known to boost energy, such as warm shades of red and yellow. However, there is no one color that is right for every office and every line of work. The right color to paint your home office depends on a few different factors. While it’s true that you likely want to boost your productivity no matter what your profession is, some jobs are more stress-inducing than others. If you have a high-pressure position, a productivity boost may come in the form of lowering your stress through the use of soft, cool shades of green. Green is known to boost creativity while reducing anxiety and stress.
You should also take into consideration the constraints of your space, such as room size and access to natural lighting. A large, open room with many windows will give you a lot of flexibility in paint color choices, but a smaller room or one without many windows may leave you with limited options. The best way to decide which color to use is to purchase several small sample jars of your preferred shades and paint large swaths on the walls of your office. Then you can view the different shades at different times of day and with varying levels of light.
Accent Colors Matter Too
If you’re already pleased with the paint color in your home office, or just aren’t ready to commit to repainting at the moment, you can still use color to boost your productivity. If you have room to add an accent chair, purchase one in a bright red, yellow or orange. If you already have a chair in a neutral color, you can recover it, or add pillows in a bright hue. Artwork will have the same affect – choose something bright and energizing to add to a wall that will be in your frequent line of vision. Window treatments are another way to add productivity-boosting color to your workspace.
Keep Enough Distractions Nearby
It might seem counterproductive to actually include distractions into the planning of your home office. However, studies show that having several “brain breaks” throughout the day can enhance your overall productivity. The key is have an enjoyable distraction nearby, but not so convenient that you are giving it more attention than you should. A favorite musical instrument, a complex puzzle, or a book you’ve been working your way through – all of these are good options for something to keep in your office to give yourself a welcome pause.
Another wonderful way to give yourself a constructive break throughout the day is to include one or two pieces of exercise equipment into your home office plans. A set of light weights or resistance bands work well for a small office or nook carved out of a larger room. They won’t take up much space but will allow you to get your heart pumping while not straying too far from your work responsibilities. If you have more room available, placing a treadmill or step machine in the corner of your office will give you even more of an opportunity to burn calories during your short breaks throughout the day. If you find it difficult to pull yourself away throughout the day for a trip to the gym or jog around the block, having equipment in the office with you may help you commit to a workout plan.
Make it Comfortable
Neck and shoulder pain are very common for those of us who spend our days in front of a computer screen. This is often even more of a problem in a home office that has not been professionally set up to be ergonomic. There are several things you can do at home to lessen the toll sedentary work takes on your body. Start by making sure that your computer screen sits as close to eye level as possible. The human head weighs around 12 pounds, but bending your neck creates around 50 pounds of force on your neck.
To combat this, consider making alterations to your office chair if you are using a desktop computer, or if you use a laptop, find a way to elevate where it rests on your desk. A separate keyboard and mouse can make doing this easier. When it comes to your office chair, this is one item you should consider splurging on. Think about how much time you spend sitting in it and you’ll likely be able to justify the cost of purchasing something supportive and comfortable. Ideally you should be able to adjust your chair’s height so that while working your arms are parallel to the ground and your feet can rest flat on the floor or on a footstool. Your chair should also offer the option of reclining slightly so that you are not sitting at a stiff angle.
Commit to Constantly Decluttering
You’ve set your home office up perfectly, with the right productivity boosting color scheme, a pleasant view out the window and a few well placed fun items for break-time distractions. But how do you keep your office serene and maintain a low stress environment? One of the best ways to do this is to prevent the build up of clutter that tends to occur in home offices. Get in the habit of clearing the paper piles at the end of every week. File it or toss it, but don’t let it linger. Also, don’t let other members of your family use your office as a storage space, even for things that make sense to put in an office. Magazines, mail, children’s artwork – while it may make sense for items such as these to make their way into your office, allowing this sort of clutter to build up can create stress in your workspace, and it will encourage your family to continue using your office as a storage area.
Dress for Work, Even at Home
It can be very tempting to head straight from the bedroom to your office, and even more so if your office is located in a sitting room adjacent to your bedroom. For many of us, working from home has caused a deep blurring of the lines between work hours and free or family time. Especially if you do not have kids to get up and out of the house every morning, you might not think there’s much reason to stop by the kitchen or shower before you get started answering emails. However, you will be much more productive if you treat going to your home office just like travelling to your off site office.
Would you arrive at work with an empty stomach and still in your robe? Of course not. So take the time to ready yourself for the day even if you’re just commuting across the hall. You’re already saving time by not hopping in your car or on a train. Eat breakfast, get some exercise, shower and dress appropriately. Many of us need to be camera ready for video conferencing anyway, and dressing for the day will help you avoid scrambling to find a work appropriate shirt at the last minute.
With just a few thoughtful changes and additions, you can set up a workspace that will help you be just as productive as you were while working full-time in an office away from home.