Home Office

Creating a Productive Work-Space

Is your home office  not exactly how you would like it to be? Do you notice a lack of productivity when trying to get something done? You are not alone, in fact, a lot of people find it hard to be productive from home, but the good news is, there are some things you can do to change that!

First and foremost, your home office needs to be your sanctuary, this room or space, no matter the size or location, needs to pull you in. This space needs to be inviting and have you thinking “Ah yes, I want to be here”. That may sounds silly, but I find it to be true. Once you actually desire to be in your home office, the distraction of wanting to be elsewhere when you need to be getting something done, diminishes. 

The best way to solicit this desire, is to make your office your own, that picnic table and chair in your garage just won’t cut it.  Each and every one of us is unique, and your office deserves to represent that. We all have different preferences in style and in what makes an area functional. With this being the case, I cannot tell you exactly how to set up your space, but I can tell you what has worked for me.

Once you have decided on your style, and all of the unique personal choices that go in to creating that perfect home office, I would suggest you focus on three things:

  1. Air
  2. Light
  3. Greenery

Air is something I focus heavily on, especially when I could be in this one room for hours on end, whether I am trying to be productive or simply enjoying myself, I need my home office to have clean air. Dust accumulates, and if you have multiple pets like I do, so does dog hair and all number of other particulates. This is why I recommend a robust air purifier. Some may not see the necessity, but I have always found that even the subconscious benefit of knowing you are breathing clean air aids in that peace of mind when trying to remain focused.

Light is extremely important whenever you are trying to get anything done. I will focus heavily on all different kinds of artificial lighting throughout my posts here, but in this case, I am referring to natural light. Depending on location, you could potentially be in a room without any windows, but if not, you need to take full advantage. Please, do not put up black out curtains only to have them always drawn. Sunlight is a huge contributor to productivity, and is proven to help you feel better. I purposely position my desks within my home office to take full advantage of where my window is located, during the day there is no need to have any other lights switched on. It truly is a freeing feeling, and it can make your home office feel much bigger. 

Greenery is a multi-purpose solution for me. Not only are live plants a great way to customize your home office, they help with the air quality and can also help raise your mood. The psychological benefits of just being able to see vegetation from where you are working have been well documented, and for me personally, it definitely helps. Try adding a couple of live plants to your empty desk space for the aesthetic and psychological benefits, I truly believe you will love the results!

There are many, many more ways to make your home office unique, but these three suggestions should definitely help kick-start your journey. Whatever way you choose to go, I hope it it leads you down the path to living your absolute best Office Lyfe!