Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of employees were asked to start working from home to lower their risk of acquiring the disease. Although many welcomed this idea, a lot of workers were also hesitant about trying out this new arrangement.

This is because working from home comes with its own set of challenges that people new to this arrangement may find difficult to handle.

Focusing on your work, for one, might be challenging since you are surrounded by more sources of distraction, such as the TV, your kids, or pets.

When working in the comforts of your home, you will also encounter challenges in staying organized, managing your time, communicating, and collaborating with others.

Leading interior fit out companies say that working in a well-designed home office can help you overcome these common telecommuting obstacles. With the right workspace, you can stay productive and motivated even if you are in your personal haven.

Creating the Perfect Workspace in Your Home

Below are some tips for designing a home office that will help you stay productive and efficient even if you are not in your regular workplace:

Although having a laptop and wireless connection means you can work anywhere, such as your bedroom or living room, these areas are not the best places to concentrate on your tasks.

1. Choose the right area in your home to set up your office

An unused bedroom is the perfect place for you to create your home office. In the absence of one, choose an area in any room spacious enough to hold a desk, chair, cabinets, or shelves. However, make sure you partition off this workspace using screens or folding dividers.

Additionally, try to select an area with or near a window since doing so will elevate your workspace.

 2. Set your desk near a window

There are several advantages to be had from working next to or near a window.

With natural light illuminating your home office, you will minimize your use of electricity to brighten up the room. You will only need to turn on the lights at night if you need to work overtime.

Sunlight also helps boost your mood, which you may need before you start working and while you are in the thick of things. Additionally, seeing natural scenery such as trees, shrubs, flowers, and even the blue sky can also build your morale and give you the positive energy you need to power through your tasks.  

Lastly, one window can drastically change the way your home office looks and feels. It makes the space look bigger than it actually is and appears more relaxing and conducive for working.

However, no matter how beautiful the view is outside your window, avoid placing your desk directly in front of it. If you do, you will subject your eyes to glare. You may also get easily distracted from your tasks at hand, which can cause you to take longer than usual to complete your work.

3. Ensure that the room can be outfitted for productivity

Your home office needs more than a window, partitions, and furniture. You also have to ensure that this room enables you to do your job as usual.

This means making sure that your work area has sufficient sockets. It should have enough to allow you to plug in and use your computer or laptop, printer, and router or Internet device simultaneously.

Also, check if you can place the phone lines and Internet devices in this room. By doing so, you can call anyone and answer the phone quickly. If you are having difficulties with your wireless connection, you can troubleshoot it immediately since the router is near you.

4. Prioritize comfort

Since you will be spending at least eight hours in your home office five times a day for the next several months, or even permanently, it is important that you are comfortable here.

Start by investing in an ergonomic chair. If your budget is not enough, pick one that offers sufficient support for the natural curve of your spine.

Next, adjust your chair so that when you are seated, the desk will be around the height of your elbow. This will allow your forearms to rest parallel to the floor.

Investing in a standing desk is also a smart idea if you want to have an ergonomic workspace. Studies show that spending more time standing up instead of sitting down offers various health benefits. These include an increase in muscle activity while working, which improves blood circulation

Using a standing desk also reduces back pain and helps keep the hips from becoming tight.

The layout of your home office will increase your level of comfort and productivity in your home office as well. As such, think carefully about how you will organize the cables, your headset, printer, filing cabinets, and shelves.

5. Invest in good-quality furniture

Aside from considering the comfort and ergonomic qualities of your home office furniture, you have to think about their durability and longevity. You need to have fixtures that will last a long time since there is no telling when you will go back to your normal work environment.

When shopping for home office furniture, look for ones that are sturdy and made of good quality materials. If you have a significant budget for setting up your workspace, consider investing in bespoke pieces.

Companies that specialize in interior fit-out services have experts who can build customized desks, chairs, and storage solutions that meet your requirements. The contractors will also take into consideration your home office space to ensure the fixtures are perfect for your workspace.

If you are having a hard time designing and setting up your home office, an interior fit-out company can do everything for you to ensure that you have a comfortable and conducive workspace that supports your productivity.

6. Decorate your home office

Lastly, your comfort, mood, and productivity in your workspace will be affected by your surroundings. As such, put some thought into its interior design.

Consider installing wallpaper to make your room stand out and look more interesting and stylish. Hang a few wall decors as well, such as a tapestry, framed paintings or photos, and shelves.

Don’t forget to put some accessories on your desk to showcase your style and prevent the room from looking too “office-y.”

Place a few potted plants inside your home office as well. Aside from making the room more appealing, these natural features can also enhance your mood and productivity.

Even when the pandemic is over, there is a chance that telecommuting will be around for a long time. Be prepared for this possibility by creating the perfect workspace in your home.

AUTHOR BIO

Rachel Hennessey manages the Pools and Landscaping Division of Hennessey LLC. She also works on Tender and Pre-Qualification and brings in new business to the company’s Construction, Interiors and Civils Division.

HOME OFFICE DECOR…