One of the best things about working from home is the ability to create a home office — a personalized area in your home where you’ll do your job, stay productive, efficient and creative. However, it may be hard to even think about creating an ideal home office in the first place due to all the non-office distractions. From social media, TV, daily home obligations to the very fact that your warm and cozy bed is just a few steps away, all of this can make your actual home office a great idea, but not something doable in reality.
What if I told you that having a home office setup that is also distraction-free is more than doable? Creating a suitable working space in your home has never been more challenging and also easier. We’ve come up with a list of the things that will make your working space not only distraction-free but also motivational, inspiring and productive. In just a few steps, you can make your home office a place of comfort, and not something you associate with boredom and obligations.
Organization
For an environment to be distraction-free, it is essential it’s organized, paper-free, clean and tidy. Of course, some people find order in chaos, but the majority of us doesn’t function like that. We need order and a clean setup so that we could stay productive and on task. According to Getting A Grip, having random items in your desk area or other random belongings scattered around the office can create a distraction in no time. You might feel the urge to read edubirdie.com reviews or to clean the office to avoid work. Find a reliable organization service (yep, those exist!) at a good price, just in case you can’t be bothered to do everything yourself.
An organized office, whether it is at home or elsewhere, is a sign of physical and mental order; it will help you complete your work successfully. If you want to keep things lying around and keep getting distracted, go for it. However, if you actually want to be productive, focused and efficient, invest in shelving, spacious drawers and other storage options that will help you stay orderly and organized.
Greenery
This may sound silly, but having plants in your home office can contribute to you being more focused and productive. It is important to create a visual variety in your working space, according to The Muse, and it is essential to take a break from the screen and observe something natural. Green is a color that is known for its calming effects, so having plants in the office isn’t just going to add some freshness, but also help you retain a healthy vision.
If you’re not experienced with having plants in your home office, we recommend starting with cactus, a succulent, or any other resilient plant that doesn’t require extraordinary skills and plant knowledge. Have your working desk pointing towards the outdoors; place it next to a window where you’ll be able to view the outside and rest your already tired eyes.
Comfortable furniture
In order to have a distraction-free office, it is extremely important to invest in high-quality home office furniture and have everything appropriately set up and designed. Your home office doesn’t have to be fancy, expensive or extensive, but a few things are must-haves if you want your office to actually make you work and not lay around watching movies for hours. Here are the things a functional home office needs to have:
– L-shaped or standard square/rectangular desks
– Adjustable standing desks
– Comfortable office chair
– Storage and shelving
– A comfy couch for a power nap
– Appropriate accessories
According to Money Crashers, these are the things that will keep you comfortable and focused on your work, because everything will be just right in the office. It is crucial that there is nothing that bothers you about your office, so put it together in a way that suits you, your personality and working habits.
Computer, laptop, phone
Home office distractions don’t only come from your environment, but also your computer. Luckily for you, there are numerous ways in which you can minimize or disregard completely any distractions on your PC, phone or any other tech object or gadget. For starters, use a new browser profile that is just for your work. Moreover, turn off all desktop notifications for social media platforms. There are also many platforms where you can set yourself as ‘away,’ ‘busy’ or even ‘asleep,’ so make sure to use these to your advantage. Regarding your phone, the ‘do not disturb’ mode is a way to go, as well as turning off the volume or the ringer, in case you’re an iPhone user. This will allow you to miss all the notifications for a certain period of time.
