As a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, more and more people began to move their work from the main office to their home office. According to statistics, around 40% of Canadians found themselves working from home as lockdowns were enforced. Chances are that this trend will continue post-pandemic.
With more and more people preferring to do their business from home, it’s time to stop waiting for the return to the main office and perfect the space you have in your home. After all, a well-designed home office is also a productive one. So, here are a few tips so that you may level up your office game.
1. Buy a Good Desk Lamp
Lighting is very important when it comes to arranging your home office. Whether you are working for yourself or other people, poor lighting can greatly affect the quality of your work. Science also proves it: lighting directly affects how your brain works.
In many cases, just an overhead light can cause more strain to your eyes. This applies even more if you use the kind of lighting that affects your eyes, like LED light, as research suggests. This is why you need to invest in good lighting types – and most importantly, buy an efficient desk lamp.
Very often, the overhead light won’t light up the face in the way you want it – which can be very problematic if you take a lot of video calls. A good lamp can also allow you to see much better, improving your workflow. Go for Himalayan salt lamps or glass diffusers that double as desk lamps, as the light is often softer.
2. Paint the Walls in Motivational Colours
Colour psychology is a real thing. Some colours may help you become more relaxed, lulling you into a state of sleep and calmness. Others can make you feel more energetic and motivated to do some good work. This is why, when leveling up your home office, you need to find the appropriate colours to give you energy and a motivational boost.
Blue, for instance, is a soothing shade that aids your concentration and keeps your mind calm. Yellow radiates positivity and energizes you. Green creates a balance while being easy on the eye, helping you face overwhelming tasks. Colours affect how you feel, so you may want to consider exactly what you need.
3. Keep a Clean Office Setup
Do you want to level up your home office without breaking the bank? In that case, the first thing you’ll want to do is clean your office. Cleanliness affects productivity; this is backed up by research as well. Thus, you must keep your home office clean at all times so that you can be more organized and productive while you work. Make sure to regularly remove the clutter, dust the furniture, vacuum the place, and do some window washing now and again.
Windows tend to gather a lot of dust – and no one can be productive in an unclean, dusty room. Plus, if the windows are clean, the light will efficiently pass through them. If you don’t have the time, then you might want to hire professional window cleaners to do the job instead.
4. Get a Stylish Business Chair
The business chair is likely the most important part of your home office, as you’ll be spending quite a lot of time in it. First things first, choose a chair with proper support and adjustability. Once you clear that, it’s time you select the design. In most cases, leather should be your go-to, as it is among the easiest to maintain and keep clean. Black is often a good option, but you may also go for a colour that will match the theme of your home office. The furniture and other items that you bring into the room will certainly affect the overall ambience.
5. Find a Better Location for the Desk
To level up your home office, you must have your desk in a place that allows for maximum productivity – but at the same time, its positioning will depend on you as a person. For example, if you are someone that is easily distracted, you might want to place it next to a wall, with perhaps a few flower pots to spruce up the place.
On the other hand, if the idea of staring at the same thing every day sounds unappealing to you, then you might want to place your desk in front of a window. This way, you’ll have a constant change in the scenery without getting you too distracted. You’ll also have a sunlight influx that is going to enhance your mood.
The Bottom Line
If you’ll be working from home anyway, you might as well make the most out of it. Spruce up your ambience so that you can be productive enough to work. For the most part, it won’t even take a lot of effort from you. Check the tips above and see which of them suits your needs.
Nikolay Nikolov is the owner of Winducks – a friendly window and house washing company from Alberta, Canada. Nikolay is proud when he is able to help his fellow locals unclog and clean their gutters, clean their windows, driveways, eavestroughs and install their holiday lights. He loves what he does and his motto is to make the world a happier & cleaner place.