If you’re new here, you may not know that I work remotely, full-time in my home. When I made the decision four years ago, I knew I needed a dedicated space to ensure the highest level of productivity and happiness. So, I’m sharing 8 tips to design the most productive workspace. Enjoy 🙂
1. Start with the Essentials
Planning your home office can certainly be overwhelming. Sure, you can start with a list and align it to your budget. But, a great place to start is identifying what items you need to do your job. Determine what your essentials are and then give each item a designated place, most likely on or near your desk for easy access to reduce frustrations. I highly recommend keeping it clutter free as more items create subconscious frustrations and distractions. Once you define a spot for all of your things, you’ll find yourself not only organized but happier – increasing productivity.
2. Choose your Style & Moodboard
I’ve found my personal style by really digging into moodboarding, mainly utilizing Pinterest. If you aren’t naturally drawn to images or don’t know what to search for, think about it as the way you dress yourself. Your style and how you carry yourself can tell a lot about the workspace you need. In terms of utility, if you’re a person that constantly carries around lists – perhaps you want to feature a huge whiteboard or chalkboard on the wall? If you don’t really carry much, you may gravitate more towards a minimalist space with only the essentials to avoid distraction.
Use color to your advantage. The easy way would be to start with your favorite color(s). But, do you find yourself frequently stressed? Colors like blue and green, and softer hues can create a space that eases you. If orange or red is your favorite color, you may want to think about how much of it you’d like in your space to avoid an atmosphere of panic & high alert.
Moodboarding will also help you consider layout & lead you into your product search.
3. Get Comfy
For me, I am in front of my computer nearly all day. So, comfort was top priority as it would certainly be unproductive to feel stiff all day. I purchased 3 different chairs until I found the one. If you’re between spending another ~100-300 for comfort, I highly recommend doing it considering how much time you spend in the space. I now feel like I’m working on a cloud daily & don’t think twice! You can shop my chair & similar options here:
4. Create Alternative Workspaces or Zones
My desk is my primary workspace, however, it has been found to be unproductive to work in the exact same spot everyday. Plus, you can go a little stir crazy being alone all day. At my old house, I picked up a chaise lounge for times of the day where I can lounge & answer emails, edit photos, take five, etc. One of our upcoming projects at the new house will be a built in bench in my office, where I plan to check emails and work on more creative exploration work. You can shop that chaise and similar options here:
5. Don’t Forget About Your Walls
If you’re a creative, this one is especially important. Find your why. Find what drives you. Find what makes you laugh. Use it as a letterboard quote, or a custom print that you hang on the wall. Choose wall art that sparks creativity, joy, passion, and ultimately reminds you of why you work. Sometimes a photo of family members or friends is a great reminder, too.
If you create a space that gives you that feeling of confidence in your best outfit, or listening to your favorite song, your best ideas & productivity will follow!
Here are a few of my favorite prints & items I have had in my office to achieve this:
6. Bring in some Greens
Office plants don’t have to be gigantic ferns trees in all corners of the office. A small desk plant or succulent can do the trick. Plants have been said to reduce stress and reduce toxins, all with low maintenance. However, I have a black thumb so I opted for faux and still had that feeling of joy once my faux fig arrived. You’ve probably seen it everywhere, but here is mine:
7. Consider Fragrance
Whether you’re a believer or not, I love coming into day, or as an afternoon pickup, with the diffuser going. Not only does the smell give you a sense of positivity, but some oils really have helped with focus, stress, motivation, joy, etc. My favorites are lemon, lavender, peppermint, stress away, and cedarwood. Not into oils yet? You can learn all about them on my post here.
8. Pump Up the Jams
Lastly, the easiest tip – music! I immediately knew I wanted to invest in a Sonos speaker to complete the combination of good vibes in my space. Listening to music encourages efficiency and creativity. It’s a great distraction as white noise, or a way to pump yourself up to survive the last two hours of a Friday. You can follow my favorite playlists on my Spotify account here!
I hope you found at least one takeaway to be as productive as ever. Thanks for stopping by!
Meg
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