What does the perfect home office look like? To answer this question, it’s necessary to take into consideration what are the most important characteristics of a working spot. It should:
- Be comfortable
- Boost your productivity
- Inspire you
The perfect home office is well-organized and beautiful at the same time. Here’s how to achieve this without too much hustle…
Clean up the mess
They say that artistic minds thrive in chaos. I say that busy minds do. Just to clarify, having a busy mind is not a trait. On the contrary, it stops you from concentrating on your goals, taking the best out of your productive hours, and unleashing your creative genius.
Keeping track of all the things you have to do in the next week or month is challenging as the to-do list of every entrepreneur is endless. And everything is a top priority! The less cluttered your working spot is, the more focused you’ll be.
Clean up your desk and its surroundings. Put away all the notes, documents, pens, and other stuff that has been lying there for months without you even touching it. If you think, “I might need this“, most probably you won’t.
Leave only the things you really need and use daily – for example, your laptop, notebook, or bottle of water. Everything else should go – either to the cabinet or to the bin.
Related: Minimalist Life Hacks That Instantly Reduce Stress
Comfort above style
Arranging your working space will most probably wake up the interior designer who lives inside of you. Anyway, don’t let them be completely irrational! It’s tempting to get one of those vintage wooden chairs you saw on Pinterest or Instagram but think twice.
Day after day you’ll be spending hours sitting on it. It’s crucial to make sure you’ll be in the right position. Your chair should allow you to sit straight and yet – without any tension.
The same goes for your desk. Choose a model that can be adjusted so that it fits your body and posture. Depending on how many hours you’ll be spending at your working place, you might consider a standing desk as well.
In any case, don’t forget to take your breaks and stretch regularly! Even the most ergonomic chair and desk can’t undo the consequences the sedentary lifestyle has on your body.
Lighten up your home office
It’s crucial to have enough light in your home office. Working at a darker room makes you sleepy; therefore, less focused.
If the situation allows it, put your desk close to a window to take the maximum out of the daylight. In case that’s not possible, make sure you have a lamp or two which make the space brighter. This will wake up your brain and boost your productivity.
During your lunch break (because you never eat on your desk, do you?!), take a walk and gather some sunshine. Here, in The Netherlands, I only gather raindrops, but that still makes me more awake and aware.
Invite nature at work
If you make long hours behind your desk, most probably you don’t spend enough time in nature. In combination with the absence of natural light, this can lead to a bad mood and lack of energy.
You can fix this by placing a couple of plants on your desk or all over your working corner. Not only they’ll purify the air in the room, but they’ll also make you feel better. Looking at a beautiful flower or at a plant that grows because you take care of it, is soothing for the soul. It will certainly bring a smile on your face and will help you feel less stress as an entrepreneur!
Here are some of the most efficient air purifiers among houseplants:
- Spider Plant
- Aloe Vera
- Snake Plant
- Peace Lily
- Chrysanthemum
- Bamboo Palm
For years I’ve been trying not to kill my plants, and it didn’t work. I couldn’t take proper care even for a cactus… Anyway, now I have a spider plant (on the picture above), and it’s been doing great. I find it so rewarding to see how fast it grows and how nice it looks thanks (or despite?) my care.
Make your working space yours
If you’ve cleaned up your desk, moved it next to a window and put a plant on it, it’s then ready to boost your productivity by helping you be more focused and efficient.
Adding a personal touch is what will wake up your creative genius. Hang a poster with a quote or one of your favorite paintings. Check out some interior design ideas online or follow your heart instead of a set of rules.
The point of having some decorations around is to make sure your inspiration won’t run away when you’re tired or bored. Whenever you feel a bit down, you can take a look around. Your cozy home office will remind you that being an entrepreneur can be exhausting but very rewarding!
Keep it tidy
Once you’ve created your perfect home office, you’ll have to keep it this way. You can either spend one hour every week to clean up a bit the mess that has piled up throughout the week or adopt the habit to tidy up on the go.
This really depends on what type of person you are. In any case, you should keep in mind that it takes more time to organize a deep cleaning once in a while instead of regularly putting a bit of effort into keeping your home office nice and clean.
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