Find yourself working from home? Children homeschooling?
Optimizing your office space to create the right atmosphere for your family to work well in can be a challenge. This is a challenge that many folks are facing during these unprecedented times as they unexpectedly had to create workspace for one or more family members quickly. Now that we are settling into our new normal, it if evident that working from home may be big part of our future.
Working in these dysfunctional and unpleasant makeshift home offices often creates distractions, frustrations, sense of feeling overwhelmed, a busy mind, and lack of focus resulting in poorer quality work and lower grades. Hearing of the added stress and constraints from my community I recognize that my expertise may be valuable to improve the working conditions for many families.
You don’t need to work in a cluttered, crowded workspace. There are solutions and way to make the space, a more pleasant space… a happy place!
Here are some ways to improve your work space:
- Find the right location to set up ‘shop’.
Is there other places in your home that may be more suitable? Perhaps a guest room, corner of a bedroom, bonus room, basement, nook on the main level. - Clear out un-necessary items.
Remove any items that can have a proper home in a different room. Toys can be particularly distracting. Purge and remove clutter. A cluttered space creates a cluttered mind - Organize the space.
Create proper places for items using the CODE system:Categorize – put like items together.
Order – organize each group of items
Distance – shorten the distance between the required object and the location in which it is needed or used
Ease of use – Place items in areas that makes it easy to use.
For example, if you use the printer often, make sure that it is plugged in, close to your reach, and have spare paper near by. - Set the mood with lighting.
Be sure to have a brighter white light for task lighting such as a desk lamp, and a nice ambience light to set a positive tone to your work day. - Amplify the natural light.
Allow sunlight into the room, open up curtains/blinds when working in the space. Remove any furniture that may be blocking the window. Position your desk that allows you to face the window, if possible. (Unless your find this is too distracting for you and your children) - Get comfortable and supportive seating.
That dining chair may not be the most comfortable, or the right height for your office work. Seek to find a chair that has proper back support and cushion to allow for improved workflow. - Bring in joy.
Plants, framed pictures and an essential oil diffuser can help to increase the joy and positive energy in your office. These touches are great to have.
I hope these tips can help you re-energize your home office to be both more functional and more beautiful!
I offer my organization and home beautification services to help create productive, inviting work spaces. Learn more here!
