By biden It’s not enough to have a home office. If you really want to be productive on a daily basis, your home office must be a functional space that you enjoy working in. In order to accomplish this goal, you’ll have to plan ahead.
5 Functional Office Design Tips
New research reveals that, in response to the pandemic and other shifting views of the workplace, an estimated 1-in-4 Americans will work from home in 2021. In the future, that number is expected to increase rather dramatically. Within the next five years, it’s possible that more than half of Americans will work from home at least part of the time.
In the past, you could get away with working a few hours on the kitchen table or setting up a temporary office in a spare bedroom. But today, with working from home becoming the norm, you can’t afford to throw something together. You need a functional home office that allows you to maximize productivity.
Designing a functional office isn’t rocket science, but it does require some planning and intentionality. Here are some suggestions to help you create a space that’s right for you:
- Choose the Right Desk
Ditch the ironing board or end table and get yourself a bonafide desk that works for your needs. In 2021, that usually means buying or building some sort of standing desk.
As we know, sitting for long periods is detrimental to our health. With a standing desk, you can easily alternate between sitting and standing to keep yourself healthy and productive throughout the day.
While you can buy a pre-built standing desk, the least expensive option is to purchase the base and then install your own wood top. Combine it with a supportive office chair and you’ll have a dependable setup.
- Incorporate Natural Light
It’s extremely important that you have proper lighting in your office. More specifically, you should aim to incorporate as much natural light as you possibly can.
Research shows that individuals who are exposed to high levels of natural light in the home office experience less eye strain, fewer reports of headaches, improved moods, less drowsiness, and fewer mistakes.
When choosing a room to be your office, think about window placement. Choose a room that has adequate lighting and orient your desk in such a way that you’re able to benefit from it. If you’re worried about direct glare but want diffused natural light, frosted glass, diffuser screens, and softboxes can help.
- Plan for Flexibility
Most people don’t have the space for a massive dedicated office. In most cases, it’s a spare bedroom, nook, or bonus room that gets converted into an office during the day. Keeping this in mind, flexibility has to be a major goal when designing a functional home office.
There are plenty of ways to make a home office more flexible. For example, you might put a futon in your office. It can be used as a sofa during the day and a possible place to crash at night – perhaps even a guest bedroom.
- Deal With Cords
A messy, disheveled office prevents you from focusing. So in addition to choosing the right furniture and finishes, make sure you have a plan for dealing with clutter. More specifically, pay attention to cords. (The last thing you want is dozens of cords spilling out of the back of your desk and tripping you up every time you walk in and out of the room.) Here are some good hacks for dealing with cords.
- Integrate Plants
Anything you can do to make your home office more healthy and productive will pay dividends. And while there are plenty of “big” investments you can make, sometimes it’s the smallest tweaks that have the most significant impact. For example, adding a few plants to your home office can make you a better worker.
Numerous scientific studies reveal the benefits of having more greenery in your workspace. For example, the presence of plants in a home office is shown to reduce stress, increase productivity, reduce sickness, purify the air, reduce noise levels, and boost creativity.
You don’t have to turn your office into a greenhouse, but two or three strategically chosen plants can make a difference!
Give Your Home Office New Life
No matter how small or cramped, any home office can be turned into a highly productive workspace. By thinking about details like furniture, ambiance, and storage, you can maximize the value of any space.
You don’t have to spend thousands. Start small and aim for gradual improvement!
Lorenzo Billie