Management

5 Ways to Make Your Home Office More Appealing

Working from home certainly has its perks. Whether you’re operating an entire business or you’re just paying a few bills here and there, there’s nothing quite like getting the job done in the comfort of your own home.

Home offices need to be more than just a chair you grabbed from the kitchen table and a dull metal desk. Otherwise, you’ll just be replicating the drudgery of life in a cubicle. With that in mind, we’ve come up with the following 5 way to make your home office more appealing.

1. Find the Right Seating Arrangement

A comfortable chair can’t be neglected. As we’ve already noted, a rigid wooden chair isn’t going to give you the support you need. If you actually want to look forward to spending time in your home office, then it’s important to invest in the chair. Find one that adjusts to your needs and is ergonomically engineered for comfort and support. If you’re a little on the shorter side, be sure to get a footstool to make up the difference.

2. Let a Little Light in

Lighting is key when discussing the appeal of a home office. If you’ve got an outlet for natural light, use it. Place your desk where it’s easy to look outside a window. No one wants to spend a bulk of their time staring at a wall. Light also adds to productivity.

A little scenery and natural sunlight has never hurt anyone. Many people may inadvertently box themselves in by placing the desk far away from the window or even by putting dreary drapes on the window that block all sunlight. Don’t do this if you want to enjoy the light. On top of natural light, it’s also important to invest in a few good lamps or even light fixtures. After all, there are certainly going to be some long days that turn into long nights and the moonlight won’t quite cut it. Place lamps in strategic positions to get the most out of them.

office-light

Be sure to invest in bulbs that suit your needs as well. Something too bright might give you a headache, but something too soft might force you to strain your eyes. Find a happy medium that improves the room’s ambiance.

3. Personalize with Photos

There’s nothing quite like a drab empty wall to make you feel like you’re back in the corporate cubicle. Photos can give your home office a personal and creative touch that you likely wouldn’t get elsewhere. Use the walls as your own canvas and place a few on your desk too. You can even turn photos from your favorite photographers into canvas or framed paper prints.

office-photos

The photos should be something that makes you smile. Pictures of family, friends, and loved ones are all great options. You could even hang a few pictures that display your favorite hobbies. For instance, if you like bowling, why not put a photo of your favorite alley on your wall?

4. Get with the Greenery

Nature doesn’t have to be confined to the outdoors. You can bring a little slice of the outdoor world right to your desk at home. Houseplants are natural stress-reducers and have even been shown to increase productivity in the workplace. Just the sight of a little natural green on your desk can make all the difference.

Plants are relatively self-sufficient unlike other living options like fish. All you need is a little light and some water and you’ll have your own piece of nature in no time. To increase the enjoyment factor, try growing the plant from seed to adult. That way, you can watch as the beauty of life comes to fruition.

5. Limit the Clutter

There is nothing less appealing than a desk filled with envelopes, bills, receipts, invoices, and all the other trappings of a busy home office workspace. A messy office will likely leave you feeling unmotivated and overwhelmed before you even sit down for the day. To avoid that, be sure to invest in good storage and organization tools in order to have a well-organized office.

Filing cabinets, shelves, binders, and anything else that can de-clutter your life will be invaluable for your peace of mind. On top of that, you won’t have to feel like it’s necessary to clean something up even before you get started.

If you have any questions, please ask below!