5 Essentials to create a Productive Home Office

Working from home can be a major challenge and adjustment for most; structured routines, office setups and effective online communication can help you feel like you’re “going to work” and more importantly, help you disconnect from that space when the day is over.

We outline 5 ways you can improve your home-office atmosphere:

Dedicated Workspace 

Promote concentration and creativity by setting up a dedicated workspace with a desk in a closed-off room, preferably not your bedroom. This will help reduce distractions and enable you to ‘leave the office’ at the end of the day. Bring some retro luxury to your bathroom by adding a touch of brass or gold in your lighting or mirrors. 

Sound

Studies have shown that the right music at the right volume can increase your productivity. We’ve found that placing a speaker in the corner of the room and letting the music fill the room at a moderate volume is ideal. Music also helps reduce loneliness while you adjust to communicating with team members and customers online.

Art & Plants

We often underestimate the benefits of using plants and artworks in our workspaces. Views of greenery greatly improve the feeling of rest and rejuvenation, helping sustain focus for longer. Placing artworks in your room will make a workspace feel like a personal, sacred place.

Scent

Rituals such as turning on a diffuser or lighting a candle to indicate the start of a working day help to reduce stress and enhance performance. It’s been found that lavender and rosemary significantly decrease the stress hormone cortisol while other studies have shown that creativity is improved while we’re exposed to pleasant smells, perhaps the reason for great ideas being formulated at the coffee shop.

Natural Light & Good Light

Take the time to move a few furniture items around, positioning your desk near a window and your screen angled away from direct sunlight. It doesn’t take much natural light to fill a small space and elevate your mood. When working in the evenings ensure you have enough additional light from lamps in the room to reduce fatigue from eye strain. Add a desk light or a floor lamp to help illuminate your workspace.