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5 Tips for Design Your Home Office
The last ten years have seen a proliferation in the number of people who opt to work from home. If you are among the people that work from home, then, it is important to set up an ideal office space. Below are proven ways to set up a nice, welcoming space that will give you the inspiration you need for work as well as make you comfortable.
1. Invest in a Great Chair
By all means avoid a pain-inducing, backbreaking, kitchen chair- or any other chair that is not comfortable. Rather, invest in an ergonomic chair- probably in a patterned or colored fabric.
You do not want to incur pains and repetitive strain injuries that are often as a result of poor working posture. Many people, especially the austere ones, do not see the need for investing in a decent ergonomic chair. To save costs, they think any chair- even a kitchen chair- will do.
In the long-run, it will be costly. Therefore, just save money where you can, but by all means invest in a decent chair.
2. Choose the right location
When people begin working from home, they often set up the home office in obvious places such as the basement, spare bedroom, or guest room.
But there could be a better place. For example, the dining room or formal living room are ideal spaces in case you do not use them regularly. That is because you need an office where you can shut the door when you are tired and go to another room- the bedroom or elsewhere – for some respite.
Remember that you are most likely going to spend very many hours in your home office, therefore, do not squeeze yourself into space. It is also important to consider the traffic flow and if you can be able to withstand distractions. If you’re easily distracted, then it is important your office space is tucked away in some quiet place. If you expect clients in your home office, then choose a private place with ample seating.
Ideally, the office area should provide a certain degree of privacy from the rest of the areas. Sometimes headphones can serve to isolate certain sounds, but many people disdain the idea of wearing headphones all the time. Therefore, if you cannot find a room tucked away in a quiet place and you must use what is available, then consider portable screens. Portable screens can shield the workstation from surrounding activities. Or, you can use divider walls that also function as bookcases. They will not just divide the area, but also provide excellent storage solutions.
White noise can also be useful in creating the quiet necessary for concentration during work. Low fans and air filters operate at a quiet speed that can muffle other noises.
3. Create Enough Storage Space
Clutter can be depressing and distracting. So, the best way to circumvent the risk of having a cluttered workstation is to have a place for everything.
You can go about this by adding shelves next or above your desk so as to gain enough storage space as well as reduce desktop clutter.
You may also find a hutch that can sit on the desk handy as it can increase the storage space available.
A tall bookcase with adjustable shelves will also prove important as it can hold many books as well as reference materials that would otherwise be scattered on your working desk.
Pencil cups or trays will be handy to keep writing instruments in one place. You may need memo and business card holders as well. In this time and age, there are several options for storage. What you’ll do is to find out what works best in line with your flow of work and paper. You will decide how you store your items depending on whether you work from left to right or if your paper trail leaves a distinct flow.
An organized desk is good for productivity as it keeps pending work in order and bars the chaos of disorganized piles.
4. It is important to have good lighting
Poor lighting can cause fatigue in addition to reducing your productivity. Therefore, it is essential that you invest in additional sources of light so as to make the workspace brighter and inviting.
Getting a reading lamp for your desk area will significantly improve the ambiance in your workstation. It will help you to avoid straining your eyes as well as help to improve your mood.
5. Choose an Upbeat Color
It is imperative to select a color that inspires you to work hard.
Certain colors evoke certain emotional and physical reactions from different people. Colors impact mood and energy levels. It is, therefore, imperative to know the psychological effect of the color you choose for your home office.
For example, violet, green, and blue colors are regarded as cool colors as they evoke feelings of tranquil and repose. Blue can make a space feel cooler, and it can lull the occupants to sleep. Therefore, a color like blue is ideal only for the bedroom but not in the home office.
Green is regarded as neutral. Most people are comfortable in a green surrounding. Green produces fresh and restful emotions in people and can help occupants in a room painted green to concentrate. Therefore, the green color can introduce vitality and freshness to an office. Moreover, green can enhance the balance of a home office.
Yellow draws attention. It makes people happy as it evokes optimism. However, a bright yellow color on home office walls can be distracting and overpowering and may even cause some level of anxiety.
Red is vibrant and stirring. It can create excitement and often produces strong feelings. If you choose to use it in the home office, use it just as an accent.
Ivory, white, gray and tan has subtle variations of color. These colors never distract and may be combined with accent colors for energy and vitality in the home office.
Shades of purple often stimulate the imagination.
Whatever color scheme you decide to use, test it first in a large area to ensure it will be compatible.
Conclusion
The home office design should be a connection to your inner self, your productivity, and your spirit. It should help you focus and help you to more.
About the Author James Crook
I am James Crook, 31 years old from the United States of America. I am a blogger who love writing about chair and related topics.