A home environment isn’t always ideal when you want to be productive. Whether you’re working from home on a long-term basis, or you simply want to be able to deal with family administrative tasks, the right office space can be enormously beneficial.
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Choosing the location
Carving out a space for an office can seem difficult, especially if you have an active family with young children who are at home during the day. In some cases, there might be a spare room that’s fit for the job. In others, you might need to be creative in partitioning an existing space. A particular corner of the living room, the recess beneath the stairs, or even an outbuilding, like a garage or a modified shed, can all be great candidates. A quality fitted home office can nestle into just about any space.
Improve natural lighting
If you’re going to be working in this space for many hours every day, then you’ll want to make sure that it supports your health and well-being. This might mean strategically placing a few houseplants and making sure that the desk is set up appropriately. But what really makes a difference is the amount of natural light the space receives. Put the desk near a window and install a few mirrors to help distribute light. Your choice of paint matters, too: darker shades will tend to absorb light, while lighter ones will disperse it.
Decorate and personalize
The right personal touches can help to provide you with encouragement and motivation while you’re working. A few sentimental family photos around your computer’s monitor can provide a reminder of what you’re working for. The right artwork might also help you personalise the space. If you’re going to be taking work-related video calls, make sure that the space immediately behind you is suitably clean and professional-looking.
Keep the space clear of clutter
One thing that’s sure to limit your productivity, and the satisfaction that comes from actually using the space, is clutter. Start with a thorough declutter. Make sure that you have a waste paper basket and a shredder, and that you get into the habit of taking cups and plates with you every time you leave the office. The right storage solutions, like cabinets and drawers, might also be hugely helpful in the battle against mess.
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