Many professionals are forced to work at their homes for safety reasons. Some need to because their company changed to remote working, while others started an at-home business. With that in mind, many are also forced to quickly set up their own working space at home without much thought and planning. The result? A dull and uncomfy home office.
If you’re one of those who just empty out an area and put in a desk and chair, you’ll need to invest in some upgrades. A good home office should help you stay productive and focused while still being comfortable. Curious how you can level up your work area at home? Below are a few things you can do to improve your Dull Home Office.
- Divide room for focus
If you’re lucky enough to get a room with enough space to work on, you might want to consider using room dividers. We’re not talking about putting solid walls or making structural changes into the room. There are tons of temporary solutions you can opt for. For instance, if your workspace converts into a living area, you can get a folding divider that you can easily put away after working hours. If you’re looking for something quite permanent but still movable, you can set up cube storage or freestanding bookshelf to separate the room into different areas. This even gives you more storage for your office supplies and other personal belongings.
- Get a nice speaker
Having a speaker in your working space may not sound like a good idea. But playing the right music can boost your energy and productivity and help you relax. Studies show that people who are listening to music while working on their tasks are more likely to be done faster and with superior quality.
Place a Bluetooth speaker in your home office and find the best tunes for you. Having good music in the background can also wash out ambient distractions. Create a playlist of catch rhythms and soothing instrumentals that you can easily play when the workday starts.
- Upgrade your tech
Your tech setup is your best buddy when you’re working at home. But if you frequently have tech faults in your printer, desktop, or even your work phone, it may be time to upgrade. Most workers tend to hold on to their old devices as long as they’re still working. The reality is, using an old computer can cause you more trouble than expected. Your work will be delayed, and you’d have to pay for repairs every now and then. Instead of putting more money into an old desktop, it’s smarter to pay an expert PC builder to set up a new computer for you. These professionals can build you a faster and more powerful desktop for your daily needs.
- Expand physical storage
If your work still requires you to keep paper documents and files, you’ll need to plan for storage. However, you’d also need to ensure that your space won’t look cluttered. Leaving things lying around the room can create a lot of distractions. They can make it hard for you to focus and stay productive. Create extra space for storage to keep your office supplies and documents organized and make the room less cramped.
If you have no room to expand, get yourself some nice storage solutions such as shelves, filing cabinets, and folders. To ensure your home office won’t be too cramped, set up for vertical storage. Use your empty walls to hang the shelves and free the floor space. Also, don’t forget to label your office supplies and paperwork so you won’t have a hard time finding them when you need to.
- Tidy up those cables – Dull Home Office
You have your laptop, computer, printer, router, phone, and extra monitor. The result? You get a tangle of cables in the room. Tidying them up can make your home office look neater and less distracting. Before you plug those devices again, find time to detangle them and tie them up properly. You can use toilet paper rolls, painter’s tape, or Velcro one-wrap cable tapes. You can get these at home supply shops and tidy up those cables in 15 minutes. But for cables of your on-the-go devices like your laptop and smartphone, you don’t have to tape them up on the wall or floor.
By creating a more visually appealing and functional space, you can do your tasks without distractions. Don’t let your productivity and concentration suffer by working in a space that doesn’t meet your needs. Follow our guide to craft a better home office for you. But don’t forget, self-discipline is still a must to work without distractions.