If you work from home and are looking for home office desk ideas, you’ve come to the right place.
An office is more than just a place to put your laptop or your favorite cup of coffee. It’s a space that affects the quality of your work, generates ideas, slows you down, or makes you more productive.
On the other hand, we rarely pay attention to the organization of our home office, which leads us to work (and suffer back pain as a result) at messy desks with inadequate lighting and uncomfortable chairs.
This needs to change. If you want to continue working remotely, here are some tips for setting up your office to be as productive as possible.
Table of Contents
– Keep everything to a minimum.
– Pay attention to the lighting.
– Never work in a place where you eat or sleep.
– Invest in plants
– Watch your posture
– Increase productivity with the right equipment
– Clean and organize digital spaces
– Avoid distractions
– Provide a comfortable and convenient workspace
– Adapt your workspace
1. Keep Things to A Minimum
Clutter and trinkets are not the best way to create an ideal office. Whether at home or in the office, the first step to an efficient office is to determine what you need and focus on the essentials. You don’t need fancy equipment if you don’t need it for your job.
Determine what you need most often for your job and keep it on hand at all times. This could be a laptop, headset, tablet, or something else. Store pens, paper clips, cell phones, and other small items that can distract you in hidden drawers or containers so they don’t interfere with your concentration.
2. Lighting Is Key
It’s best to set up your desk in your home office facing or near a window. You need natural light to stay productive, motivated, and in a good mood. Even in virtual meetings where you can’t turn off the camera, your colleagues will have a good view of you.
If your home office has only one foggy corner, use an adjustable desk lamp or light the back of your screen with LED strips.
3. Never Work in A Place Where You Eat or Sleep
It may be tempting to fold your pillows and work without getting out of bed, but this is literally the worst solution for maximizing productivity.
The same goes for your lunch break: Give your brain a break and don’t eat while you work. Instead, go to another room, a nearby park, or your favorite lunch spot. When you’re done, you’ll be refreshed and ready to tackle the rest of the day.
4. Green Color for Victory
A few plants in the room can make a big difference. Whether it’s reducing stress, increasing productivity, or improving focus, plants can make all the difference when it comes to choosing the perfect office. Watering your plants can also provide a break between tasks and a quick recharge.
If you don’t have the best lighting for your plants, buy some that use low light or choose realistic artificial flowers.
5. Invest in Good Posture
Sitting at a desk is not only aesthetically unpleasant, it can also lead to headaches, fatigue, and mental impairment, which ultimately affects your ability to work effectively. Consider investing in an ergonomic chair that promotes optimal posture and prevents long-term spinal dysfunction.
No matter how good your chair is, sitting all day can be tiring. It’s a great way to prevent back pain and gain extra energy. If you already have a regular desk for your home office, it is recommended to use a standing desk converter that fits your desk.
6. Equipment to Maximize Productivity
Having multiple screens may seem overwhelming at first, but it can make a big difference in your desktop layout and ultimately your productivity.
How many tabs are open on your browser right now? Adding another screen to your digital space allows you to access and navigate important folders, documents, and tabs simultaneously in a more efficient manner. Similarly, using a separate external keyboard and mouse instead of a touchpad allows you to work more efficiently.
7. Don’t Forget Your Digital Space
Speaking of your desk, don’t forget to organize it.
When files are scattered everywhere, it can be overwhelming and distract you from what should be your priority. Take the time once a week or a month to organize your files and delete unnecessary ones. It’s most effective to organize your office and personal space as much as possible.
8. Reduce External Distractions
Roommates, spouses, and children. …… When you are trying to be productive, the people around you can distract you. If possible, set up your office in a separate room, attic, basement, or garage. If that’s not possible, get a pair of high-quality noise-canceling headphones.
Phone calls, texts, and social media notifications can distract you from your productive time. So place your cell phone where it can’t be easily picked up, put it on silent to avoid distracting notifications, and allow important calls and messages.
Finally, try to limit access to distracting websites and apps – you can set a daily time limit or restrict access to these apps and websites during work hours.
9. Make It Comfortable and Convenient
Productivity requires comfortable seating. This doesn’t just apply to ergonomic chairs and standing desks. If you have a fixed place for your water bottle, for example, you won’t forget to drink and will be able to concentrate throughout the day.
Room temperature also has an important influence on productivity. If you’re cold, put a spare sweater or check under your desk. If it’s hot, a portable fan can help cool you and your body.
10. Create A Sense of Space
Sure, tidy minimalism is essential to maximize output with productivity monitoring software and avoid clutter, but a completely boring space will likely have a demotivating effect. Decorating your desk or the wall next to your desk with a few personal items, such as a photo of a loved one or a painting you like to look at, can help you manage stress and feel in control of your workspace.
We’ve already touched on how plants can contribute to a productive work environment, but beyond that, choosing the right colors for your workspace can make a big difference in your workflow. For example, green is supposed to promote balance. If there are psychological reasons to choose certain colors for your workspace, surround yourself with colors that you know will motivate and energize you. Like yellow? Add some yellow!
Ready to Get Organized?
We hope these organizational ideas help you get your office in order and improve the quality of your work life. Start small, improve what you can, and don’t try to implement all these tips at once.
As you can see, there are a lot of factors to take into account when deciding on a home office desk design. As with everything else, a thorough study is essential. Take your time and consider all of your possibilities. By doing this, you can be sure that you’ll come up with a solution that will benefit both you and your team and make everyone satisfied with the end result. And maybe this list will serve as a useful starting point!