5 Tips for a Productive At Home Office
Working from home can be a blessing. Instead of spending your day commuting, you can focus on your projects from the comfort of your own house. To ensure you stay productive while at home, check out these tips for styling a functional home office.
1. Buy a Good Desk
Your desk is the key piece of furniture in your office. It will be the home for items you rely on during the work day. A beautiful and functional design helps you concentrate on work, rather than spending your time shuffling around papers and cords. Whether you will be working from home full time, balancing the books or catching up on a few reports before end-of-month, there is a desk design and size to suit your home office. Try looking at the range from a retailer such as Super Amart, and pick out the right design for your needs. Once your desk is in place, the rest of your home office can take shape around it.
2. Use a Comfortable Chair
Your office chair should provide you with plenty of back support and be comfortable to sit on. You are at your most productive when you are feeling comfortable, so your chair is an investment in your health and output level. If you suffer from lower back pain, there are a range of lumbar support chairs available. You can also look at adding a cushion for extra padding.
3. Remove Distractions
The location of your home office has a huge impact on the amount of work you do. If you can, set your office up away from the noise of the kitchen and living area. A peaceful area in which to work will allow you to concentrate without disruption. Keeping your office separate from home life ensures a better chance at getting your work done. Do an audit every few weeks and remove any ‘home’ items that have crept into your office. The more office-like your environment, the more productive you will be.
4. Good Lighting
Bad lighting causes eye strain, which can lead to headaches and an assortment of other problems. Natural lighting helps your brain recognise it is time to function at full capacity, so you can concentrate. If your office doesn’t get sufficient natural light, use artificial lighting from lamps or overhead lights. Ideally, a combination of both will be more comfortable. A good desk lamp makes it easier for you to read and keeps eye strain at bay.
5. Stay Organised
Paperwork and folders strewn all over your desk does not make for a productive work space. The key to getting the most out of your office is keeping it organised. Remove papers you no longer need and file away the essentials in drawers. If you can work from digital files, this is a great way to cut back on clutter. A filing cabinet is worth investing in for copies of invoices, contracts and other important documents that you need to access regularly.
If you work from home, it can be difficult to keep your home and work life separate. How do you maintain productivity in your home office?
