Finding the right balance between productivity and comfortability while working from home can be a huge struggle. And with more and more companies extending work-from-home policies, many workers are now looking at the work-from-home setting as a long-term solution.
Maintaining focus despite the constant temptation of distractions and time wasters is crucial. Today, we’re offering a few tips about how to stay productive while working from home office, as well as details about how your furniture and office environment can play a big role in your overall productivity.
1. Create a Productive Environment
The placement of your office space is everything! Our advice: Choose a room or corner of your house that’s quiet. This means a room with a door preferably, without a TV, and far away from the front door if possible. Also, try finding a room with at least one window for great natural light. Studies have found that natural light doesn’t only increase productivity, but can also help improve mental health.
Now, let’s talk furniture. Office furniture is so underrated when it comes to its impact on your work performance. Here are a few of our recommendations for a productive home office:
Sayl Office Chair – This chair offers incredible ergonomic support and design at a reasonable starting price of $459. This chair is compact to save space and comes in multiple color options to fit your style.
Modica Desk by BDI – There are so many reasons why we recommend this desk. For starters, it’s design is beautiful! We also love the fact that it comes in two different finishes (although the walnut finish may be our favorite…shhh don’t tell). It goes perfectly with the Sayl Office Chair, and we love its sleek drawers and hidden wire storage.
Rivet Chair Mat by The Smarter Office – Whether it’s to help your chair roll easily on carpeted floors or to protect hardwoods, a chair mat is a must in your home office. (And yes, we know what you’re thinking — chair mats can be hideous.) But we promise the sleek design of the Rivet Chair Mat won’t conjure any 1990s corporate cubicle vibes.
2. Identify Potential Distractions
Let’s face it, distractions in the home office setting are different than they are in a traditional office. Whether it’s the dog barking at the UPS delivery person or kids in online learning programs needing help from the IT department (AKA you), distractions will arise no matter how minimalistic or inspiring your home office space is. One thing you can do, however, is identify and minimize controllable distractions in advance. Think: cell phones. As soon as we see our phones light up, our first instinct is to look at it and stop what we’re doing. Obviously, this halts our productivity and focus. Our tip for you (and for ourselves) is to put your phone facedown. If you’re working on a Macbook, we would also advise you to turn off your iMessage notifications. It will be like ripping off a band-aid at first, but trust us, you’ll get used to it (and your brain will thank you)!
3. Find a Good System
Everyone works differently. If you’re new to the work-from-home scene, try experimenting with different systems. For instance, time blocking is effective for a lot of people because it show them what to do minute-by-minute. But for others, simply making a to-do list in order of importance and crossing it off as they go might work better.
You could also try playing different types of music in the background to see which works best for your brain. Some people may prefer classical music while others are fine listening to 90’s rap to get them in the zone.
Productivity can also stem from your surroundings. An inspiring work space is one of our favorite motivators, and it can be super easy to achieve. Try adding a few pops of color, texture or fun, decorative elements to spice up your home office. See our top choices below:
Sami Leather Pillow and Rami Leather Pillow by Moe’s – These pillows are sure to add some spunk to your office space!
All Saints Transparent Mirror by Kartell – Available in seven colors, this unique mirror adds texture and a modern touch to any home office.
Anchorage Rug by Surya – If you’re looking for a soft rug with gorgeous texture, the Anchorage Rug is the perfect pick. It comes in Natural and Ivory, and either hue would make a great addition to your office space.
4. …And Then Get to Work!
We could go on and on about productivity while working from home, but we’ll pause there for now. We hope our advice gives you some helpful ideas about how you can bring a heightened level of focus to your work-from-home environment. We’ll be covering more work-from-home topics in the coming weeks, so be sure to check back for the next installment in the series!
Have a focus or productivity problem you’d like a little more help solving? Our design team is happy to help.
