Who can believe it's nearly been a year wfh?! If you've been able to create a dedicated room for home-working then I for one am jealous. We had grand plans to convert our small second bedroom into a home office with all sorts of built-in cabinets but it's taken a lot longer than we expected to actually get started on it...aka we haven't yet. But seeing as it might be a while until a normal work routine resumes I wanted to give some quick tips on ways to update your work area to help keep focused, whether you're working from an office, a desk in the corner of another room or just at the kitchen table these will help enhance your space and your productivity. Because if you've got a nice space to work in, you're more likely to want to use it!
Get a decent chair
It may seem trivial, but having proper back support is no joke and there's lots of aesthetically pleasing ones on the market these days that don't look like your standard office chair. It should be high enough that your arms can comfortably rest on the table (to avoid shoulder pain) and give enough support to your back. If you work on a laptop make sure it's up high enough so it's in your eyeline. You may be fine for a day or two but if you're sitting somewhere for 8-10 hours a day, the niggly aches can soon turn into problems...that could all be fixed by changing your seating position. If nothing works, standing desks are a great option.
Zone
If you're not lucky enough to have a dedicated workspace, using a small rug to help keep your office "room within a room" separate will subconsciously create that boundary between work and relaxing space. For an extra boost in creativity go for something with movement and pattern.
Use colour
What sort of job do you have? Creative? High pressured? How do you like to work? In a calm or energetic space? All of these warrant a different style of environment. If you have a high pressured job you might want a calming neutral space to reduce the stress between calls...if you're creative you may want a pop of bright colour to stimulate your thought process. We all work in different ways so think about how you work best and tailor your environment to help you.
Introduce some life
Plants are great all over the house but especially in an office where they help to improve air quality as well as giving us a connection to nature, promoting a feeling of wellness and calm...just what you want when the pressure is on and deadlines are looming!
Natural light also helps make us feel more awake - there's nothing worse than harsh office lighting - so move your workspace closer to the window if possible, or use mirrors to bounce daylight around the room if you can't quite get to window. Having a lamp nearby not only helps curate the space but is invaluable in darker evenings when you need a bit more task lighting to keep you going through the final couple of working hours.
Fill it with stuff you love
Prints, postcards, books, whatever inspires you. Having pieces that stimulate energy (think pieces with colour or movement) subconsciously brighten your mood and make you feel more productive. So maybe keep that old fruit bowl painting out of the office...
Keep the order
Maybe goes without saying but an untidy desk = an untidy mind, almost always the case with me. You know how good it feels when you've had a clearout and everything's organised, so don't put it off in your work area. Invest in some great storage from somewhere like Muji and you'll feel much calmer in no time. Also helpful if you're working in a living/dining room you can pack all you work stuff away each night and forget about it, because nobody needs the laptop calling to you from across the room when you're trying to have a relaxing evening.
Happy homeworking!
Charlotte x