Whether you’ve worked from your home office for years or you’re working remotely for the first time, your home office’s design can dramatically impact your workflow. If you’re stuck in a home office that isn’t designed with your needs in mind, staying focused, and completing your daily duties can be rough.
When it comes to designing a home office, there are several key factors to keep in mind. You want to minimize stress, eliminate distractions, and maximize productivity. All of the interior design choices you make should serve one of those purposes.
Here are five interior design ideas for your home office to keep your stress low and your productivity high.
Idea #1: Declutter and Minimize
If you’re overwhelmed with a cluttered design, you’ll never be able to reach full productivity in your home office. Just think about it. If you have to spend precious work time looking for things through stacks of clutter, you’re not going to reach your productivity potential.
More than that, recent studies have shown that disorganization leads to a lack of focus and an increase in procrastination. Clutter also increases stress, anxiety, and depression. So, decluttering and minimizing should be a first focus in the interior design of your home office. Additionally, you can also use interior designing tools to carefully plan and visualize the layout and aesthetics of your workspace.
Ensure that there’s plenty of storage and that everything has a place to go. Convert to digital when possible to avoid stacks of paper and take inventory of the things you actually need to do your job. Get rid of unnecessary furniture and work items so you can increase focus and decrease stress in your home office.
Idea #2: Add in Natural Elements
It’s no secret that the sun and the great outdoors are good for mental health. Now, some studies show a direct correlation between nature and work environments. When natural elements are incorporated into the workplace, there’s a direct increase in organization, an improvement in job satisfaction, and a reduction in depression and anxiety.
How can you incorporate those elements into your home office’s interior design? If you have a window, be sure to let as much natural light flow into the office throughout the day as possible. Beyond that, be sure to add things like plants or terrariums to add nature to your office. Succulents and cacti are popular office plant choices thanks to the fact that they’re low maintenance.
Idea #3: Block Out Distractions
One of the most challenging parts of working from a home office is distractions. You must find ways to mitigate those interruptions with your home office’s interior design. Consider keeping your office door closed while you work, so that family members know you’re working.
If you have to share your office space, or if your home office is part of a den or living area, consider purchasing room dividers or architectural screen panels to keep yourself blocked in and blocked off from distractions.
However, don’t feel like you have to recreate an office cubicle setting. The goal isn’t to create a cubicle at home. Instead, the goal is to design a space that inspires productivity and allows you to work without interruption.
Idea #4: Create Useful Distraction Zones
While this might seem antithetical to all the advice thus far, it’s right in line. In a traditional work environment, you take several breaks throughout the day. You have conversations with co-workers, walks to the employee lounge, and perhaps quick strolls around the building to take a break. For some reason, when people work in their home office, they expect to be able to work without stopping for mental breaks.
Be proactive and set up distraction and break zones that will benefit your workflow. Rather than taking a break and cruising through the house where you’ll likely get distracted, have a bookshelf with business books you’ve been meaning to read in the corner of your office. Have a shelf full of brain puzzles so that you can take breaks from your current task but keep your brain engaged.
Alternatively, consider an exercise corner. Studies show that light exercise throughout your workday can increase productivity and the completion of tasks by up to 72%. So, you can pick a part of your home office to store a yoga mat, hand weights, resistance bands, or an exercise ball. Work these items into the interior design of the space, so it becomes part of the flow instead of increasing the clutter.
Idea #5: Thoughtfully Choose Colors, Light, and Décor
When it comes to your home office, everything can affect your output. Colors all have scientific effects on your mood. For instance, blue is calming and can increase focus. Yellow is exciting and can boost creativity. Red can increase productivity in physically demanding scenarios. Neutrals tend to be a safer bet for office colors but avoid dreary colors. Grey can make people feel apathetic and depressed.
Lights can affect mood and productivity, too. Too bright and harsh can be overstimulating and frustrating. Too dim can make you sleepy. It’s crucial to find a light balance that keeps you appropriately alert and focused.
Ultimately, your light and colors need to be harmonious. They should promote productivity and balance. Find light fixtures that you like and pick colors that inspire you to do your job. Then, follow through with the decorations.
Your décor should be a reflection of you and what makes you feel most at the top of your game. Maybe pictures of your family make your office feel right for you. Perhaps ornate custom art pieces help you engage your business-mind. Whatever decoration causes you to feel least-distracted and happiest is the way to go.
Design Your Perfect Home Office
Ultimately, your home office should reflect your personal taste. At the end of the day, you want a space that maximizes productivity and minimizes distractions and stress. These five ideas are surefire ways to design a home office that will inspire the best version of your professional self.
As long as you’re honest with yourself about the things that distract and motivate you, you’ll be able to design the perfect home office space for you.
