If your home office space is in need of a pick-me-up, it’s time to make some changes – learn how to improve your workspace so it helps you manage your time, get things done and be on top of your game.
The experts at Pottery Barn have developed an interactive guide to setting up the perfect home office. Let’s dive into the resource and pick out some top tips for making your home office work for you. Click here to launch the guide, and scroll on down for actionable tips.
Declutter, declutter, declutter
Decluttering – physically and digitally – is good for body and soul. It’s true – the stats don’t lie:
- 69% of people who tidy say they enjoy peace-of-mind.
- 83% of people feel more productive in an organized space.
Keeping on top of clutter needn’t be difficult. Top and tail your working day with a 5-minute clear out, getting rid of anything in and around your home office desk that you don’t need. For big declutter sessions, get 3 old boxes, mark them as ‘keep’, ‘archive’ and ‘toss’ and organize accordingly.
Keep an eye on your inbox too – action emails as often as you can and delete anything you don’t need. A streamlined inbox makes for a clearer, more focused mind.
Think about lighting
Lighting can have a major effect on how we work. It can influence our mood, making us ratty and uncomfortable or, alternatively, relaxed and productive. Because you work from home, you’re free to choose the lighting for your home office desk space – no-one is going to tell you otherwise!
The first thing is to make use of natural light – do this by:
- Use mirrors – these help reflect natural light.
- Keep things clean – the cleaner your windows and mirrors are, the better the light.
- Consider adding glass doors – a great way to maximise natural light.
For artificial light, 6500K light bulbs are ideal – available everywhere, and with an intensity similar to daylight, they can counter the need for multiple artificial light sources. Position your light source to reduce glare on your screen, and you’re all set for well-lit working – whatever time of day.
Go for (several) walks
Working from home means your schedule can be a little more loose than those stuck in the office all day. Because research suggests fresh air can boost workplace responsiveness by up to 131%, pepper your day with short breaks away from your desk. You could go for a 5-minute stroll in the local park, have a wander down the street or read the paper in the back garden.
Because heavy, extended computer use has been linked to sleeping problems and depression, work away from your desk when possible. Do you really need to be sat in front of your laptop for a client call?
Keep the aspidistra flying
If you don’t have any plants in your home office, get some. They’re pretty cheap to buy and, as well as providing some oxygen, could well improve your productivity as you work from home. With a study suggesting plants could make you as much as 15% more productive, it’s time to nip down to Homebase for some ferns, cacti and peace lilies.
Tips for maintaining houseplants:
- Most house plants do well in warm rooms and even temperatures.
- In winter, move plants to rooms which are not overheated during the day.
- Don’t place plants near open fires, radiators, in draughts, or on windowsills on cold nights.
Boost your mood with color
Redecorating your home office might cost a bit of money but it could work wonders for your day. Colors have long been associated with mood and wellbeing, so choosing a relevant palette for your home office could be the key to a better day’s work. The following colors are associated with positive emotions:
- Blue and green – these 2 colors together are thought to positively influence emotions and positivity.
- Yellow – as long as it’s not too overpowering, yellow is good for optimism and better concentration spans – perfect for your home office.
Working from home has lots of advantages – better work-life balance and cheaper costs to name just a few. But if your home office is bare, disorganized and lacking in a certain joie de vivre, it might not be performing as well as it should. We hope these tips will help you improve your home office space.
What are your home office productivity tips? Do let us know.
