Optimize Your Home Office Setup for Maximum Productivity
04 Oct 2022
A study by Steelcase, a furniture manufacturer, found that workers who spent more than 50 percent of their time working at home were 28 percent more productive than those who didn't have offices at home. But did you know that you can increase your productivity even more with the right and comfortable home office setup?
Having a dedicated space for work can help you focus on the task at hand and limit distractions from family members or pets. Your home office is a place for productivity; it's essential to ensure it's comfy! Here are some tips for upgrading your home office—and getting more done in less time.
Declutter
The first step to upgrading your home office is to declutter. You don't need every piece of paper you ever received, every pen you collected, or every book published in the last ten years sitting on your desk. So get rid of things you don't need any more; if it's broken, toss them out. If something is expired, get rid of it. And if something hasn't seen action in months or years (or possibly decades), get rid of it!
You should also start with a blank slate when shopping for new furniture and accessories for your home office—don't just move items from one room to another without considering whether they fit into the new space! Remember: A fresh look can be achieved by simply changing up a few pieces around the house that may have become drab over time (think carpeting versus hardwood floors).
Designate a space
Designate a space where you can work. Ideally, this will be the quietest and least-distracting place in your house. It should be a place where you can concentrate and focus on getting work done.
If there's not enough room for an office in your home, don't worry! A spare bedroom or attic could work perfectly well as an office if it has the right amount of privacy and quiet. You might even have some unneeded furniture lying around (or dusty shelves) that could make great shelving units for storing your supplies!
Get functional furniture
Ensuring comfort in our space is essential, especially for us that work from home. You don't want to be hunched over a desk for hours or sit on hard chairs with no back support. An excellent place to start is getting ergonomic furniture—that is, furniture that helps you be more comfortable while working or relaxing.
If you're shopping for new pieces of functional furniture, look for items that have adjustable height and tilt functions: these can help reduce the strain on your body by allowing you to adjust the position of the chair or table according to how much time you spend sitting in it (or standing). Some examples include desks that have sliding blocks underneath so they can quickly move up and down along rails; desks with wheels attached so they can be moved around as needed; chairs with adjustable backs and armrests; tables with built-in cup holders; desks with drawers where pens/pencils/paperclips/etc. Can go, so they're not scattered across other surfaces (and tripped over), etc.!
Find a comfortable chair
The role of the chair is to provide support for your body. There are two crucial things that you want to consider when choosing a new chair:
- The height of your desk and chair should match. If it doesn't, you may need to use a footrest or stool to be comfortable during long sessions at your desk.
- Consider how long you plan on using the chair (e.g., will it have multiple users?). Investing in something more durable or expensive may be worthwhile if this is an ongoing purchase rather than just one-time use.
If possible, try out several different types of chairs before deciding on one that works best for your body type and preferences!
Invest in your desk
In your home office, you spend a lot of time sitting down. So it's crucial to invest in a good desk that is comfortable, ergonomic, and suitable for your needs. Look for a convenient surface desk so you have enough room to spread out all your office supplies, files, and papers. Consider whether you need the desk to be adjustable to accommodate different heights and sizes of people who will use it throughout the day. A great option would be easy to clean, too—you never know when kids will decide they want to draw on top of your workspace!
A portable standing desk is also an excellent investment if space isn't an issue (or if yours is limited). These convert into adjustable desks by raising or lowering down depending on what height works best for you at any given time. Many are even designed specifically with ergonomics in mind so that they're more comfortable than traditional ones—and can easily be moved around from room to room if needed!
Personalize your space, make it your own
It’s always fun adding a little uniqueness to your home office! For example, you can put a plant named after the character from your favorite TV show or a fun mug on your desk, or add a splash of color to increase your serotonin while working.
Just make sure you don’t put anything too distracting in your working space.
Improve Your Home Office Set-Up
Now that you've read our tips on upgrading your home office, it's time to start! Of course, you can do all of these things yourself (with some help from a friend, if necessary). And remember: investing in a comfortable workspace will make it easier to get work done.
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