How To Set Up A Home Office That Works For You

A home office is almost a necessity now, as more and more people have started working from home these days.

There are so many people who have successful online businesses, some are working their jobs from home and some are even freelancers and work out of their home office.

Since the lockdown, some have finally gotten the chance to take the well-deserved rest.

However, most of us are still working but from home now, of course. I took this opportunity to outline how you can set up a home office that works for you.

I understand that some of you already have great home office spaces, while some of you are planning to create one now.

Whatever it might be, I’m sure this post will help you with setting up an effective workstation for yourself.

Here are 10 things you need to keep in mind while creating a working space or a home office for yourself:

Let there be light

First off, natural light is extremely important. It helps increase productivity and is great for your mood.

Make sure the room or space you choose for your office set up has enough natural light coming in.

Also, proper lighting is important while designing any space. Lightings has a lot more power than it is recognized for. It can control the mood or vibe of most places.

No matter how brilliant your decor is, bad lighting can easily turn your hard work to dust.

So also make sure your office space is well lit, with a balance of warm and cool white lighting.

Avoid dark colors

It is preferable to avoid using dark or dull colors in your study or working space. It can affect your mood and productivity.

So try choosing mostly white or bright colors for your working space.

Yellow is known to be a great color for a happy mood, energy, and increased productivity. Check out more about this in my post: Why You Need Yellow Walls In Your Home

However, if you think dark colors work better for you, then go for it. The idea is to create a space where you can function the best.

Use a comfortable chair

Assuming that most works from home jobs/businesses involve long hours in front of a computer, a comfortable chair is an absolute necessity.

Make sure you get a chair that is ergonomically designed.

It is a good idea to buy the office chair in person rather than shopping for it online, as it allows you to try on different chairs before picking out the one most comfortable for you.

A standing desk is an absolute necessity these days

A lot of IT companies these days are incorporating standing desks and flexible furniture for their staff due to long working hours in front of the screen.

Sitting in one position causes great stress on your neck, shoulder, and back muscles. It is greatly recommended that you invest in a standing desk to provide flexibility without interrupting your work.

Have a lot of plants in the room

Having a living, breathing plant (or more) in your working space is great for your mood. They also help clean the air and provide better oxygen for you while you work.

Having greenery around you is soothing to the eyes and has a cooling effect on the mind.

Avoid clutter of wires

It is super hard to work in clutter, especially a clutter of wires entangled in one another. You can avoid this by opting for wireless devices such as a Bluetooth mouse, hands-free headphones, etc.

Having proper outlets/holes in the desk for wires is also a way to avoid wires from being visible or causing a mess.

Keep things organized

A lot of stuff lying around on the desk can cause unnecessary distractions. It is also harder to work in an unorganized space.

It is good to have a chest of drawers, a cabinet, shelves, or a desk with drawers. This way you have proper storage for your work or office essentials without having to cause any clutter on the desktop.

Keep necessary stationery ready for use on the desk

As more and more people switch to keeping digital notes and basically having everything up on the cloud, the need for pen, paper, and stationery has diminished.

I do believe in going paperless, however, having one journal to use throughout the whole year might not hurt. Penning things down helps increase productivity and facilitates better brainstorming.

So it is rather helpful to keep a few essential stationery items handy on the desk.

Having a pinboard, a chalkboard or a whiteboard might be a good idea

If you are in a creative job, it might be hard to keep up with all the ideas that keep popping up in your head.

It might be even harder to keep track of everything you are supposed to work towards once you are your own boss in your home office.

So, it is probably a good idea to have either a pinboard or a chalkboard/whiteboard situation on the wall in front of your desk. This helps organize all your ideas and to-do lists in one frame in front of your eyes so that you never lose track.

Must incorporate your own style

As I always say, your decor should speak your personality. Your home office decor should be no different.

Keep in mind that it is your place and you are going to spend a lot of time working there. So make it as comfortable as you can and let it speak your own personal style.

Whether you are a minimalist, a maximalist, or somewhere in between, let your home office decor be exactly as you’d find yourself comfortable working in.

Don’t try to incorporate styles just because you see something online, try to find what you resonate with the most and would actually see yourself working in as comfortably as possible.