With the switch to working from home, it became difficult for many to fully focus on their work. With the casual atmosphere of being at your house all day, it can be easy to let your workspace become just another room to zone out in.
This transition from work to home can be a tough one, but knowing how to make your home office a more productive space will help improve the quality of your work and keep you from going stir-crazy.
Start by Cleaning up Clutter
Take stock of what you have lying around your desk and office. See if you have too much build-up of clutter, useless materials, and objects that just take up space. If you find that you have a mess on your hands, that could be detrimental to your mindset while on the clock. It can make you feel confined in your office, giving you an uncomfortable feeling of being surrounded. This feeling of being physically surrounded can be compounded by the stress of work.
Breathing Room
Take the time to clean up and get the clutter in order. Rearrange what you have and throw out what is unnecessary to give yourself a more open, relaxing, and welcoming work environment. Having a clean office that you regularly maintain promotes better work habits.
Find the Right Lighting
Lighting is one of those subtle differences that can really affect your work. Older incandescent light bulbs are a common feature of homes but can serve as a distraction when you need a place to do work. Long exposure to incandescent light can eventually cause eye strain, which will lead to headaches and will increase your overall stress levels.
Productive Alternatives
Increasing the amount of natural sunlight is the most recommended solution, but if your office is not in a suitable place for extra windows, LED light bulbs are your next best bet. LEDs come with a number of benefits, the most important for your home office being that they are easy on the eyes, so they do not cause headaches and do not produce a low humming noise like older bulbs.
Keep Breaks in Mind
No one can keep their focus on a singular job for eight hours straight, and it’s not a sign of failure when you start to lose focus. That’s just a natural part of being in one environment for multiple hours at a time, trying to do virtually the same task.
How To Maintain Long-term Focus
Giving yourself routine, short breaks away from your work will help break up your day and keep you focused on the job at hand when you return. Your break can be five minutes to read a book, listen to music, or just close your eyes and decompress. Don’t underestimate the power of the five-minute break.
A Place To Work
Whatever changes you need to make, whether you’re changing light sources or cleaning up, ensure that you’re create a comfortable place to work. Make your home office a more productive place and ensure it is not somewhere you dread being.
