Creating your dream home office: top tips for today’s home workers
If you want to be as productive as you can be and actually look forward to your workday, you owe it to yourself to build the best workspace that you can. The quality of your home office will influence your ability to get work done and your morale, and therefore benefit your bottom line if you’re working independently.
If you want to build the home office of your dreams, everything starts with understanding what an office space should look like and building a plan. Let’s take a look at a few tips that will allow you to build a dream home office.
Focus on Natural Light
There is nothing that will make you feel better than having lots of natural light penetrating a room. This is especially important if it is for a space where you’ll be working. There’s a direct correlation between the amount of natural light in a room and productivity levels. Many studies have proven that fact, and so you must choose a room that will allow you to get as much light as possible. Natural light also enhances mood and relieves anxiety, so don’t make the mistake of building your office in a garage or basement with no windows as it will feel draining, and you might start dreading working there.
If you absolutely want to use your basement or your garage, however, and there are no windows, know that you can always have someone add a window well for you. This is something a general contractor or a skilled versatile handyman can do.
You can locate a handyman in the area by running a search for a handyman near me and asking them what their scope of expertise is. If they’ve done this kind of project before, they’ll be able to build a nice window well so that you can equip any type of window you want.
Another thing that you can do if you want as much natural light as possible is turn an existing garden room into an office or having one installed. This will allow you to have privacy, but you’ll also have a large room flooded with natural light with a peaceful surrounding environment.
Buy Ergonomic Furniture
Don’t just get any type of chair or desk for your office. You need to focus on getting furniture that will allow you to work for long periods without feeling uncomfortable and allow you to reach whatever you need with minimal movement.
Ergonomic furniture can help prevent you from developing injuries and suffering health issues over time. Most furniture out there is strictly utilitarian and is there to support the things that are on it, but ergonomic furniture will be more adjustable, allow for more movement, and will prevent you from having to be hunched over your desk while working. It will also favour a safe hand position, which will prevent you from suffering from sore hands or carpal tunnel syndrome.
Have an Alternative Seating Area
Some people will say that you shouldn’t have a lounging area in an office, but we disagree. You need a spot where you can get into a more relaxed state. Consider getting something like a plush bean bag that you can put in the corner. This could be a great place to look at research material or simply to take short breaks from time to time.
Renovate the Floors
If the floor in the room is worn out, consider upgrading it right away. Bad floors will feel unprofessional. You don’t have to break the bank here. For example, adding some laminate flooring will be more than enough to upgrade the space. This will set the tone for the whole room and won’t force you to add tons of furniture just to distract the eyes away from the floors.
Choose the Right Colours
You also have to make sure that you pick your colours wisely. The colours you choose will not only affect the room’s aesthetics but will also affect how you feel. You can use colours that favour creativity like yellow, for instance, or go for colours like beige green that have been shown to reduce stress. Neutral colours can also work and facilitate focus and concentration, but you will have to play with different textures and elements to make them look more interesting.
Add Some Greenery and Water Features
Adding greenery to a home office will make the room feel more vibrant and can enhance mood and creativity. Not only that, but it can also improve the air quality in the room, which can increase productivity.
Water features can be another thing to look at. They will calm you when you’re stressed and will make the space look more professional instantly. You could go for something small like a water fountain, or something a bit more elaborate like a wall fountain.
These are all things that you can do to build the absolute best office space for you. Use these tips for inspiration and try to get as many ideas as possible so you can morph it into the space you’ve always dreamed of.