Designing a Home Office for Max Productivity
Table of Contents
Designing a home office isn’t quite the same as you might be used to at work. Of course, there are similarities, but you have much more freedom because you don’t have to meet certain compliance requirements. From personalization to biophilic design, here are some suggestions.
Pick a Suitable Space
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Cramming your dining table full of your work stuff might be okay every now and then. But if you need to work at home for more than a few hours each week, you need a dedicated space. This allows you to work comfortably and safely, with access to everything you need. A loft conversion or basement are excellent because they are out of the way, quiet and usually a blank canvas! However, any spare room will do as long as it is large enough to accommodate your needs.
Make It Personal
We work more productively when we feel comfortable in our environment. When at work, you might take some personal items for your desk, such as plants and pictures. But you can really make the space your own when you have a dedicated space at home. You can decorate the room however you want, even taking inspiration from current interior design trends. Think about how your additions complement the space and inspire you, even including the lighting you use.
Designing a Home Office with Biophilic
A bio what? Biophilic is when you incorporate natural elements into your design. When creating a home office, this includes natural lighting, plants, and air quality. Using natural elements in interior design is nothing new and can add a lot to your space. A fresh and open room feels much calmer to work in. As a result, you will feel more at peace, motivated and calm. This makes for an optimal working environment, with more productivity as you go about your day.
Consider the Ergonomics
You can decorate your home office however you like. And even though you don’t have to think about health and safety the same way an employer does, it helps to keep your relationship with the environment in mind. If you work at a desk, use a keyboard and mouse or even play video games for 8 hours or more per day, you risk repetitive strain injury. 60% of IT professionals experience RSI at some point. Ergonomic desks, chairs and computer equipment reduce this.
Don’t Forget About the Internet
Working from home will almost always rely on using the web. Whether it’s for video meetings, software updates, or collaboration apps, a reliable and stable internet connection is vital. Unfortunately, it isn’t always possible to provide home-based services. Paying for the best you can afford is a great start but not a guarantee. You can have the web service wired for Ethernet, but this can be costly. So always ensure your web provider offers excellent Wi-Fi service, too.
Summary
Ensuring you choose a suitable space to work with will help when designing a home office. It also helps your health and safety to consider the ergonomic conditions to reduce RSI. If you are working in a room away from the router, ensure you have a good internet service provider (ISP).