There are more than 3.7 million people working from home for at least half their work time. That’s not including self-employed people. Most managers believe that these “telecommuters” are more productive when they work from home.
There are many advantages to working at home. One of them is that you can create your own amazing work environment. Read on for 7 home office ideas to make you love coming to work.
1. Organization Matters
When working from home, it’s easy to make the mistake of mixing your home and work life. It makes sense to organize things so you can work effectively and efficiently. Take some time to plan your working environment so you can easily start and stop work.
Think of your workspace like the cockpit of an aircraft or the driving seat of a car. Everything you need frequently should be within easy reach. You’ll love not having to hunt for things when there’s a place for everything and everything is kept in its place.
There are many storage options on the market. Bins, drawers, files or boxes. The key is to plan your storage needs rather than investing in attractive boxes with no ideas how you will use them.
Start by de-cluttering. Don’t have piles of unnecessary stuff getting in the way. Keep it simple and functional.
2. Personalized Decor
Once you have the organization sorted you can turn to home office decor. Make your office space unique. Have a theme and follow it through the office furniture, decorating and soft furnishings. If you like color go bright, but if you like simplicity, go minimalist.
3. Light and Lighting
Typically, office environments rely on cheap but bright fluorescent lighting. While this provides lots of light it can also be unpleasant. In your home office you can use different lighting sources.
Make the most of any natural lighting while avoiding reflections on screens. Have uplighters and spotlights to provide sufficient light where you need it and ambient lighting for overall illumination.
4. Go Green
Having plants in your workspace can help maintain the right level of humidity for you. If you can keep a plant alive you are probably creating the right atmosphere to live and work in. Plants also process carbon dioxide and produce the oxygen you need to breathe.
5. Hygge your World
The Scandinavian concept of hygge is one that can be applied to your home office. Home office design ideas can incorporate cushions and rugs to create the feeling of comfort and coziness. Use textiles on the walls and natural materials in the furniture.
6. Your Perfect Chair
If your work involves sitting at a desk or table then choosing the right chair is vital. Try chairs out and if you have space have sitting options for different types of work. A desk chair may be great for computer work but an egg chair may be better for reading or listening to a client.
7. Art for Art’s Sake
Have some inspiring objects around you in your home office. Try small sculptures, pictures or your child’s latest finger painting. Find something that lifts your spirits.
Home Office Ideas
Whether you are running a home business or dividing your work between the office and home there’s every reason to make your home office a pleasant place to be. A pleasant work environment makes for greater productivity and wellbeing. Build on these ideas with home office ideas of your own.
For more home business ideas, click here.