Tips For Organizing Your Home Office For Productivity
Working from home can be very beneficial to your quality of life. For example, you can exercise in the morning instead of driving to work, eat healthier lunches, and save money on trips to the coffee shop. Best part? You can even get some chores done that used to eat up time on the weekend. (I'm looking at you, laundry.)
Yet, it also has the potential to be a negative experience. When your office is in your home, it's easy to let work creep into your home and family time. Suddenly you're checking email on a Sunday or using Saturday morning to finish up Friday’s tasks. One way to be sure that working from home works for you is to create a space that respects both parts of your life. Next, keep this space organized so it functions effectively. Being organized helps you feel productive but not overwhelmed.
5 Tips for Organizing your Home Office:
Keep your area clutter-free.
Clutter can suck the energy right out of you, whatever the room. In your office, clutter can add stress to your job and eat up your precious time. Whether you have a dedicated room for your office or a desk set up in your family room, keep your work-zone free from clutter. If needed, invest in a storage system to keep your tools and documents organized and keep non-work items away from this space. At the end of your workday, tidy up your area and put your work out of view.
Bring nature indoors.
In a traditional office environment, it could be challenging to score an office with a window, but it might not be as hard at home. Take advantage of this and try to arrange your workspace near a window. Views of nature are known to reduce stress and help us feel focused. Go one step further and bring a touch of nature indoors with a live plant.
Invest in good lighting.
The quality of light in your workspace can have a significant impact on your productivity. Bad lighting can cause eyestrain, headaches, and reduced energy. Look at your space and pay attention to how you work within it. Then, light your space in a way that serves your needs.
Consider the power position.
When we spoke with Feng Shui practioner Lisa Law, she advised us to consider the power position in room arrangement. This position refers to having your back against a wall and within view of the doorway. This position helps you feel in control. If you don't have the flexibility to rearrange an entire room, you can place a mirror in a strategic position that offers a view of the door from wherever you are sitting.
Add your personality.
Making a space of your own ultimately creates a feeling of comfort. Doing your best work happens when you feel comfortable, safe, and focused. What personal touches can you add to your workspace to make it feel your own? A piece of art? A framed inspirational quote? Whatever it is, add it!
Keeping an organized home office is ultimately about feeling in control and free of distraction. Life will be throwing enough distractions your way; searching a messy desk shouldn’t be one of them. What about you? Do you work from home? What tips have you learned to make it productive?
This blog post was written by Kristin Crane.
