Working from home is the new norm and looks set to stay for some time.
But what do you do when you have never had to previously dedicate a specific 'space' to a working environment?
What is you don't have a separate room for your new office?
What if you have to share the space with others?
Here are some top home office tips to help improve your productivity as well as be conscious of your home design.
1) Space: If you are fortunate enough to have a room that you can turn into your new office without too much hassle then great! But...what if you don't? We love a multifunctional solution and when it comes to desks you could look at investing in a desk bureau or a floating desk! If you can’t invest in a new furniture item them make sure that you assess the space from an ergonomic perspective as you will need to be comfortable! Other 'desk solutions' could be a dressing table or a folding desk! And make sure to utilise all the space in the house e.g., under the stairs!
2) The Chair: If there is one thing that you do invest in it is a comfortable and supportive chair. You will likely be sitting at your desk for some time and so be prepared that if you do not have a comfortable chair you could be in for a lot of discomfort.
3) Lighting: Wherever you find a place to dedicate to your 'office' make sure that there is ample lighting- preferably natural light as studies have shown the importance of natural light for our mental health. Lighting can however also be too bright so make sure you have ambient lighting that will enable you to work effectively and without straining your eyes.
4) Segregate your working from your home life. Whether it is packing everything away at the end of your working day or closing the door to your dedicated office room- make sure that your work life does not encroach on your family and personal space.
5) Adding some Plants. Studies have shown that including plants in your office/home could help i) reduce stress, ii) improve air quality, iii) boost productivity, iv) increase comfort.
6) Declutter: try to keep thins clutter free- invest in some document trays or boxes which you could use to keep all of your work documents in one safe place.
7) Make a plan with your family to come to a mutual agreement of what it means when you are in your 'office hours'. As it becomes increasingly evident that home-schooling and working from home are going hand in hand it can be hugely beneficial to agree as a family what the new norm working day will look like (you can trial using signs on the doors when you are on calls, agree early on in the day how you will coparent your children during the day, make the most of your children's naps if they still have them.
8) Use apps to help your day. There are a lot of apps now available to help you make the most of your productivity throughout the day. Our top 3 apps are ‘Calm’, ‘Focus Keeper’ and ‘Serene’.
MAOMA Designs is a small Design Studio based in Surrey offering Interior Design Services to both residential and commercial clients.
For further information or if you would like to see how MAOMA Designs could help you please visit www.maomadesigns.com
Instagram: @maomadesigns Email: info@maomadesigns.com.
