Credit: Thomas R
Putting together a home office that is not only comfortable, but also designed to maximize productivity can be a challenge, as you may have a difficult time selecting form over luxury. Since it is a space in your home that you are likely to spend a lot of time in, the initial urge will be to want to fill it with great looking office furniture and accessories that will make it look like the work space of a Fortune 500 CEO. However, in reality you can create a work-driven atmosphere by putting a focus on inexpensive items that serve your personal needs.
Making the most of the space
The first thing to consider when creating a home office from scratch – or renovating an existing one – is the amount of space you have to work with. If your office is small, put an emphasis on selecting the ideal essentials such as a desk, chair, and storage solutions that will fit comfortably in the designated area without it making you feel like you have no room to breathe. This might mean selecting a desk that isn’t very long but has multiple trays and platforms, or a single-level filing cabinet that you can then place a fan or photo on top of to best maximize the space. It would also be beneficial to look around your office and mentally rate every item’s importance on a scale of one to five based on how often you use it; this will help you decide if you should leave that piece of equipment or office furniture in your area or replace it with something more functional.
Tools of the trade
In order for your home office to be as productive a space as possible, it has to be properly supplied with the equipment and items that you use on an everyday basis. These could range from smaller accessories such as highlighters, sticky notes, printable tab paper, and envelopes to larger electronics like a color printer. The goal is to have everything you need at your fingertips to minimize how often you need to leave your home office in order to finalize a project.
At this stage of designing your home office you might also want to look into making technological upgrades that will increase productivity. If you work on projects that require you to switch between multiple windows on your computer, look into a dual-monitor setup. Research has shown that this is one of the simplest ways to more than double your work capacity. Similarly, if your personal computer is running slow and/or is a few years old, consider upgrading the on-board RAM or processor, or replacing the entire unit.
The mental effect
A cramped, cluttered environment is not only impractical for productivity purposes, but it can have a massive effect on how you mentally view your space. Your home office space needs to be a perfect balance of comfort and efficiency; an area that you don’t dread going into, especially if prolonged exposure heightens any feelings of stress. This is where adding a few personal touches, whether it is a family photo, a funny word-a-day calendar, or even a bowl of your favorite candy can help lighten the mood of your home office and make it a place where you enjoy working rather than a place where you feel pressured to work. Even picking a color scheme for your home office supplies (such as buying a crimson red waste paper basket and matching tabletop supplies) can create an eye-catching atmosphere that evokes positive feelings whenever you set foot inside.
In the end, your home office should ultimately be a reflection of you and how you like to work. After your initial design is finished and implemented, continue to make little adjustments here and there as you strive to create the ideal workplace for yourself. When the day comes that you look forward to heading into that private home office of yours, you will know that your goal has been reached.
About Carson Derrow
