The work-from-home lifestyle that a lot of us have come to know and love was jump-started by COVID-19, and because of how little time to prepare there was, you probably found yourself stranded, working long draining days or nights from your makeshift dining room table or couch office. While this was an okay temporary solution and a welcomed change of scene, you were probably quick to realize that it wasn’t okay for your posture, productivity or your overall well-being.
You’ve likely already begun creating a more permanent home office space, filling your online cart with unique desk accessories perfect for your dream remote set-up, claiming a room within your home that has the best light or maybe even picking paint colors that will inspire you. These are great steps! If you’re getting a little lost in the process though, consider reading on to ensure you’ve found a good place to use and that you’re getting permanent pieces for this permanent workplace!
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Productivity Tools
Mindfully designing a home office or workspace that actually encourages you to be your most productive is no simple task. It takes a lot of self-awareness, trial and error and even research to get the right productivity tools in place — but it’s well worth the time, so consider:
- A pair of noise-canceling headphones: Noise-canceling headphones are essential when it comes to hopping onto online conference calls without noise leaking into (or out of) your home, as well as for taking regular calls and avoiding the classic and crippling shoulder-ear phone hold.
- A quality keyboard: Whether you like wireless keyboards that spare you the cable mess or wired keyboards that don’t demand recharging time, loud clicky keys or low-profile silent keys or backlighting vs. no lighting. The choices to meet your personal needs are endless, but when it comes to getting a quality keyboard, the only wrong choice you can really make is not getting one!
- A digital assistant: Administrative assistants and personal assistants exist in offices for good reason, and they hold major value. That being said, having your own personal assistant at home likely isn’t an option… But having a digital assistant likely is — and one that should absolutely be utilized!
A Way to Establish Boundaries
Your workspace should be separated from your living space — even if just mentally. Don’t sit down on the couch with the fam to do your work and expect them to respect boundaries, and don’t disrespect your own boundaries by going to your workspace to shop online and check your Facebook. To set your boundaries in stone, consider:
- A public schedule: Posting your work schedule on a calendar or whiteboard in plain sight for family members or roommates to see is a great way to avoid being bothered, avoid overworking and, of course, avoid missing days when you SHOULD be working.
- A room divider: Room dividers come in all sorts of sizes and styles, and they can make a great “back off” sign and literal boundary, or a great backdrop for video calls.
- A good desk chair: A good chair can improve productivity, encourage better posture and less overall strain and act as a signifier that you’re hunkering down to do some work — even if you slide it up to the dining room table for old time’s sake! Consider features like adjustable height, good lumbar support and armrests — but keep in mind for your posture’s sake: the armrests should ultimately be used to keep you in the right position, not to actually support your weight!
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A Good Ambiance
It’s easy to underestimate or overlook the effects of your environment on your ability to work. We shouldn’t need to be in the perfect lighting or enveloped in the best smells — and we don’t! But it sure makes a difference. Boost your productivity with:
- A lighting scheme that promotes productivity: Setting your monitor’s lighting level a tad brighter than your ambient lighting, and setting said ambient lighting at a level comfortable enough to read/write paper documents in, is ideal to prevent eye strain. Along with this, you’ll want to consider diffusing the natural light with sheers and placing lamps away from monitors, to prevent glare and competing light sources. If you’re someone who embraces RGB lighting, make sure you’re choosing colors that impact you positively!
- A comfortable pair of socks: Wearing comfortable socks can help you relax and embrace your workspace easier, without making you TOO relaxed to be productive. Along with this, sitting and remaining mostly inactive can impact your circulation and blood flow and pose the risk of swelling, pain, fatigue and even blood clots. So consider embracing the benefits of wearing compression socks when you’re working from home, which include improving your circulation!
- A subtle soundtrack: By now, most of us know the positive effect that music can have on our work, so consider allowing good-mood-music into your workspace to wash away any ambient distractions and improve your productivity.
A Way To Encourage Wellness
If you’re someone who works a lot, it’s important to incorporate health and wellness boosters into your workspace and routine in order to avoid letting them slip. Embracing your health and wellness doesn’t have to be hard, and it’s a great way to encourage productivity, so try:
- A laptop or monitor stand: Raising your laptop or monitor to eye level is an absolutely necessary function in order to combat eye, neck, shoulder and back strain when you work from your screen. Ideally, your monitor should line up in a way where when you look straight ahead (while sitting straight) your eye level sits just below the top of the screen.
- A desk riser: We all know the benefits that working from a standing desk boasts — but when you’re working long days, they may not seem like a very realistic option. If you like the idea but can’t commit, consider the convenience and versatility of a desk riser.
- A yoga mat: A yoga mat is non-intrusive laying on the floor, and it’s inviting to unroll. Either way, it doesn’t take up much space and can easily encourage you to stretch a little and embrace your wellbeing!
Source: Girts Ragelis/Shutterstock.com
Staying Permanently Productive
Working from home was a desirable and often sought-after goal before it became a necessity, with many wanting to integrate their productivity and comfort. Your workspace should reflect this and be balanced between the two, but if it’s not, remember that this is a gradual process!
If you’re looking into the needs of permanent remote workers for the sake of your employees, keep in mind that any little bit helps! You’re not expected to set your team up with items discussed above, but do consider sending new-hire swag packages to help them create a good working ambiance, gifting software subscriptions to boost their productivity or finding corporate gifts that keep your remote team feeling connected and inspired.
