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Are you one of the millions of people who have now found themselves working from home? Or maybe you’re self employed and need a workspace. Or are you a part time blogger like me and need a space that sparks inspiration and creativity? Then you need to know exactly how to turn your bland and boring home office into a inspirational place where productivity is at its peak.
The pandemic revolutionised working from home and made people realised they could have a much better work-life balance. It’s been proven that many jobs can be done at home and with the rise in self employed people and people like me with a side hustle, I really think a home office is going to become an essential part of a home.
With that being said it’s important to have the basics in place if you’re going to be working from home and a good internet is essential. Do your research on internet providers in your area, for example Utah internet providers, to find the best for you.
Now let’s get into creating the perfect home office.
Define work and home
When you live and work in the same place it can be hard to establish boundaries and be able to enter into the right mindset for work and relaxation. That’s why I strongly advise not to work in your bedroom or your living room as they’ll your primary rooms for relaxation. If you’re short on space it can be difficult to establish a work space but finding an area that’s dedicated to work will not only make your more productive but will allow you to relax easier too. We all have days where we want to work from bed on curled up on the sofa and doing that every once in a while is fine. Just don’t make it a habit.
The beauty of an office is that good old phrase of leave work at the office door. In a traditional work setting you get to leave work at work but when your home becomes your office it’s trickier. So turn it into leaving work at the home office door or leaving work at the kitchen table. While working from home may make you more productive at times there’s also the temptation to work for longer because you are at home. Treat your home office as you would a normal office.
Utilise what you’ve got
Not everyone has the space or the money to have a dedicated office in their home. If that’s the case for you then you just need to get smart about using what you’ve got. If there’s really no where else to go then the kitchen table is as good as anything. Just make sure to tidy your work things away at the end of the day.
If there’s a little more space in your house to do so then consider utilising part of a spare room or conservatory as a space for a desk and a proper little set up. Your home office doesn’t have to take over an entire room if you don’t have the space to spare. A corner for a desk and some smart storage is all you need.
Build an office from scratch
If working from home is going to be a long term commitment for you, for example if you’re self employed or your job is done remotely then you may want to look into converting a room into a home office if you have the space or even building a home office. I think more people are going to be looking into adding office extensions onto their homes or even building a garden office. This allows you to create your own space from scratch. The perfect working space should be light and airy (a far cry from the traditional stuffy office) so the windows and doors you use will play a big part in your design. If you’re building your office from scratch then aluminium bifold doors are a beautiful option for creating a really light space and bringing the outside in. Kloeber specialise in designing and fitting bespoke glazing to suit your needs.
Create a space that makes you happy
Traditional office environments often don’t spark joy. Having a home office is your chance to curate an environment that sparks inspiration and productivity. Keep in mind it is a work environment and if you’re going to be on a lot of video calls you need to be mindful of your background but beyond that you’re free to create a space that not only reflects you but makes working there a joy. That gets the creative juices flowing and makes you feel super productive.
Think about the colours your using and the furnishings. Colour wise you probably want something neutral and calm on the walls, pops of colour can be brought in with stationary, prints and accessories. When it comes to furniture your home office doesn’t have to look like a traditional office at all. There’s some beautiful desks and chairs out there that are just as practical as they are pretty.
Keep it tidy
A tidy work space is a more productive workspace. We all know that when everything is in its place it makes life just a little easier. What you have to remember as will though is that the office is part of your home so keep it clean and tidy just like you would the rest of your house. Invest in some storage so everything has a place and make sure there’s a waste paper bin too. Tidy away at the end of each day to keep on top of mess building up.
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I love these tips on making your office inspirational, I definitely think having that space to yourself to work from would certainly help with productiveness! x
Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk
It really does. My partner uses our home office mainly as he’s self employed but I always get more done when I work in there.
My partner and I currently have a desk each in the living room whilst the house is being renovated. It can be quite tedious to finish work and still be sat in the same room sometimes. Iām glad Iām able to carry on working without too much hassle and we are able to work from home. Iām looking forward to designing the home office and will use your tips! Thanks for sharing!
Yeah that must be hard some days! Just keep thinking about your future office though!
I blog from home and have had to set myself up in the lounge. My hubby has a side hustle of streaming and 3d printing which has taken up room in the kitchen and in the spare room. I would love to have my own little office one day, maybe one of those little shed type buildings for the garden.
Yes I love those, that’s also my dream. My partner is self employed so uses our only spare room as his office which means I’m also stuck in the lounge!
Lots of good advice! My home office is where I do my day job…but also where I write. Sometimes, after a long day, I don’t want to write because I just have to get out of the office!
That must be tricky having to use the space for two different purposes!
This is great advice! I have been working from home now for approximately 4 years and during that time, I learned the value of having a defined ‘ work’ space that is seen as separate from the home (despite being in the home). There is something to be said about having the mentality of ‘going to work’ even if it just means going to a designated space that is only used for that purpose. It’s the first piece of advice that I give to anyone considering making the shift to leaving the office behind (whether it’s by choice or due to the current restrictions).
Yes definitely. It’s good to have separate areas so you can get in the mood to work but also so you can relax as well. I find having the same space to work and relax in definitely makes me less productive but also I find it harder to switch off at the end of the day.
Keeping your workspace tidy is so important! I’ve rearranged things on my desk so many times the past year but I think I’m finally happy with the way it looks – plenty of space for my plants too š Great post š xx
It’s always good to have a shuffle around and figure out what works best for you, plus more room for plants is great!