Working from home serves many perks to this generations’ growing entrepreneurs, which might explain an increasingly popular trend in designing a home office that improves productivity and also personalised workstations with some style and elegance. Regardless of whether you are working from home by choice or staying in to flatten the curve, optimising your workspace to increase your productivity is essential to getting your work done. Here are some useful tips:
Create a dedicated work space
The best way to focus on work and productivity is to have a dedicated home office away from the bed and TV. Having a desk to associate with work —and only work, will condition your mind to focus quicker. You can minimise distractions with a minimalistic layout with a desk like the Cupertino by BoConcept or keep organised with Nelson Swag Leg Desk. Including wooden elements like this Koppar desk can also improve your concentration and energy level.
“Where your attention goes, your time goes”
– Idowu Koyenikan, international acclaimed organisational consultant and author
Curate your surroundings
Minimising distractions doesn’t mean that your work space has to be dull. Furnishing your work area with house plants and accented wallpapers are not only pleasing to look at, but they can also inspire creativity and motivation. Much like air diffusers like the Totem diffuser from the Baobab collection and Harrod’s Senti diffuser, a mixture of herbal and floral scents can create an environment that promotes concentration and alertness.
Prepare your essentials
Preparing your essentials that help you stay productive throughout the day saves you time and increases the work you get done. Some noteworthy home office must-haves to help you plan and take notes with are the Mrs Strong calendar and the Postalco grid pen. It’s also important to stay hydrated so having a bottle like VitaJuwel keeps you fresh and replenishes your energy with its healing crystal.
“Failing to prepare is preparing for failure”
– Benjamin Franklin
Keep your desk well-lit
Placing your desk next to a window will expose you to the mental and physical benefits of natural light. It can boost productivity levels to up to 40 percent, but if your windows are not accessible or you have to work during the night, having good lighting with a natural glow like the Terra Glow Monc Blanc floor lamp can help you stay concentrated and alert. A more flexible alternative is the cleverly designed Dyson Lightcycle Morph desk lamp powered by an algorithm that can recalculate colour temperatures and adjusts itself to mimic daylight according to the time of day.
Be mindful of your posture
Sitting at a desk for long hours restricts your body’s movement and blood flow, and it can strain your back and neck muscles. Having a standing desk like this one from Ergo Seatings helps keep your body upright and encourages movement. If your work requires you to sit at your desk, ergonomic chairs like Sayl Chair by designer Yves Behar and the Okamura Sylphy supports good form. Designed to adjust to your movement and body shape it gives you the flexibility to move, stretch and adjust to the height of your desk.