How to set up your home office for better productivity

 When working from home it can sometimes be difficult to maintain our focus and stay productive.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, many workers around the world left their usual offices and started working remotely instead. Although conditions are improving and cases are dropping, a lot of employers are still encouraging their employees to work from home, and many individuals have decided to start permanently working from home regardless.

So how can we make sure that we still stay productive when it is so easy to lose focus while we are working from the comfort of our home? Below are five easy ways for you to improve your home office experience, making sure you still stay productive while working form home.

1. Create a dedicated office space

One of the best things about working from home is the comfort level. You don’t have to get up earlier to get ready, and you don’t have to make sure you leave your home early in order to get to work in time.

However, this can also be one of the negative sides of working from home. The act of getting ready, having your breakfast and commuting to work does actually wake you up and prepares you for the day ahead. That is why setting up a proper home office is so important.

If you have the opportunity to dedicate a proper room only for your home office, then you will be able to separate your free time from the time you are supposed to work, and ultimately keep your productivity high.

If you don’t have the space to do this, you can also choose a corner of your room or living room where there is natural light coming in, and set up a desk in this specific area. Keep all the necessary materials you need on this desk, such as your laptop, notebooks & pens and decorate it with a small lamp and plant. A dedicated workplace will help you keep your concentration without being distracted by your surroundings.

2. Invest in proper office supplies & technology

A productive home office is a space where you will have all the necessary supplies and technology available for you to get your job done.

Try to set up your home office exactly as your normal office normally would have been set up. This will vary depending on your job, but generally you want to make sure you have a stable Wi-Fi connection, a proper device, organization supplies, a headset with a microphone and even a printer or scanner.

Your office chair will also be important as you will be spending many long hours on it, so make sure you invest in a comfortable chair that fits you.

3. Make sure your home is organised & clean

A cluttered space can lead to having a cluttered mind. To make sure that you are not distracted, take care of your desk and designated work space as if you were sitting with other people in an office.

Make sure you don’t have a pile of dirty dishes lying around, and always tidy and clean your desk at the end of the day. This will help you start fresh when beginning your work the next day.

The same goes for cluttered paperwork and documents. Invest in a proper storage space where you can keep all your important paperwork and related items.

4. Change your setting

One very simple way to improve your experience while working from home is to simply leave your home office once in a while.

Go outside for a walk to clear your mind, grab a coffee at a nearby cafe, or even take your laptop with you and work from a different place for a couple of hours to change up your work setting.

Doing this a couple of times a week can help boost your creativity as well as productivity. It allows your mind to process different environments and not be confined to one place and setting the whole time, which can eventually become boring and tiring.

5. Keep your environment fresh

Did you know that the air quality and the smells surrounding you have an impact on your health and overall being?

When working from home, try to let fresh air into the room by opening a window, if this is not possible, invest in a small air purifier or humidifier.

Investing in some scented candles or essential oils can also completely change the mood you are in and help improve your wellbeing overall. When you feel well you are also able to perform your daily tasks in a better way.