7 Foolproof Ways to Create an Inspiring and Productive Home Office
Can you imagine walking into an open-airy clutter-free office with calm neutral color painted walls, a soothing color palette, natural daylight tickling your skin, and essential oils invigorating your senses? A healthy work environment should be a quiet retreat, kept simple with the essentials to keep you inspired and productive.
In our latest blog, I’ll be offering some tips for creating a home office that supports you and gives you exactly what you need right now whether you work from home full time or just a few days a week.
1. Prioritize Quality Seating
I worked with a client who was experiencing lower back pain, numbness, and stiff leg muscles at the end of her workday. She rarely took breaks throughout her busy day and would sit and eat lunch at her desk. During the virtual assessment, I could see that her chair was causing her injuries; poor ergonomics. Ergonomic is the study of people’s efficiency in their working environment. The human body can not be redesigned but your built environment can so we look at the human and environment as one unit to prevent work-related injuries known as work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSD). I sourced her an ergonomic-approved saddle chair that improved her blood circulation. I recommended she keep her knees at a 90-degree angle and feet flat on the floor, no crossing legs allowed. Sitting in the wrong chair for multiple hours a day affects posture and can lead to some serious health risks. A 2011 study documented 800,000 people and their sitting habits. The study found that people who sit the most, compared to people who sit the least, have a greater risk of disease and death, 112% increased risk of diabetes, 147% increased risk of cardiovascular events like heart attack and stroke and 90% increased risk of death from cardiovascular events according to the Heart Foundation. Therefore, they coined sitting as the new smoking. Here are some ergonomic-approved office chairs that I love, the Herman Miller - Aeron, the Kneeling Ergonomic Chair, the Saddle Ergonomic Chair, and the Excercise Ball Ergonomic Chair.
2. Select a Comfortable & Functional Surface
Having a clean and clutter-free work surface is important whether it’s a kitchen counter surface or a butcher’s block. Clutter causes us to not finish what we start. It is not all physical and it can cause disarray in the mental, spiritual, and emotional areas of our lives. My client was struggling with trying to create a comfortable and functional work surface. She could never find what she needed on her desk when she needed it. I’m well organized after many years of working in a laboratory setting, so I created a space for everything on her desk and put everything in its place. Her stress levels have reduced because she is no longer feeling frustrated and losing time trying to find items on her desk. She is comfortable sliding the mouse across the surface and not having to reach out far and cause any injuries to her wrist. To enhance her comfort while sitting, I recommended she relax her shoulders, keep her forearms and knees parallel to the floor where possible, and hold her elbows at her sides to create an L-shape in her arms.
3. Have Readily Available Storage & Filing Options
Bins are friends! Purchasing cute little bins or beautifully stained open wicker storage baskets can help you establish the freedom that comes with structure. Take note: an open basket helps everyone be mindful of putting things back where they belong. Remember to take inventory of everything. All loose papers and overfilled corkboard notes should be stacked and organized by category. From there, you can determine which items can be shredded and which still need to be processed. Use color-coded or decorative folders to provide visual calmness and to help you easily locate what you need. Store incoming/outgoing mail, magazines, and whatever else you need to keep close at hand. Trust me, you will be able to find things quickly and it will be so much easier to maintain. Choose a good desk for storage with drawers to help keep your desk tidy. If you have a desk with limited drawers or no drawers at all, invest in a space-saving adjustable monitor stand with shelving. A monitor stand will also provide you the ability to adjust the height of your computer monitor so you can stand throughout the day and take breaks from sitting to relieve muscle tension, reduce stress, and increase productivity.
4. Functional Lighting that Serves You
When we refer to light, we are actually referring to the amount of illumination that touches a surface. Light can enhance the occupant's harmonized version of beauty that supports feelings of stimulation, comfort, and safety in space. Here are 3 easy tips to incorporate functional lighting that serves you:
1. Open those windows and let in natural daylight, it’s a great source of Vitamin D and serotonin; the hormone that stimulates our happy juices.
2. If you don’t have office windows, invest in quality lighting. I recommend 3-4 sources of light in a workspace. (overhead lighting, task lighting, floor lamp, and natural daylight)
3. Select bulbs for alertness or calmness. In general, light bulbs range from 1900k to 7500k. The lower end like incandescent and halogen lighting renders warm colors and it will make your space feel calm. The highest end of the spectrum like daylight renders white light and tones of blue, it will make you feel alert in your space. Choose wisely, to prevent eyestrain😉.
5. Add Essential Oil Diffuser
Adding an essential oil diffuser into your office space can add relaxation and pure joy to your work environment, it’s the easiest way to experience aromatherapy. The sense of smell is a tool that can extract powerful physiological, mental, and emotional responses. Essential oils are quickly absorbed by smell receptors, which have a direct link to the limbic system, which is the part of your brain that stores memories and emotions. These amazing little potions derived from earth neutralize odors in the air and can help the body fight off respiratory illnesses. In the morning I love to diffuse peppermint and wild orange to jumpstart my day before I start working on content. I also love to diffuse Ongaurd as the day progress, it’s a welcoming citrus-spice aroma. Right before bedtime, I diffuse lavender to promote peaceful sleep at night. The benefits are endless to how you can use them in your daily life for cleaning, relaxing, and invigorating your senses.
6. Backdrop for Video Calls
If you are working from home, your background is your stage. It should be a reflection of who you are. Here are 3 Tips on How To Elevate Your Background for Video Calls:
1. Color Psychology: Intentionally choose neutral colors that are easy on the eyes and don't distract. Target uses "red" because it acts as a stimulator and they want you to take action when you are pushing that red cart! Think about your background...what feelings are you unintentionally evoking?
2. Having things organized and clutter-free will automatically improve your mood and it allows the other person to feel less distracted and relaxed while virtually interacting with you.
3. Add a plant in your background, it livens up your space. Not only does it boost your mood but it adds a pop of color and texture to your space. The color green has a strong association with nature and is believed to reduce stress. Having plants show that you are a caring person.
7. Invite In Things You Love
Your office is not just about functionality it should be a fun space and make you feel hella happy! Remember to add elements that make you smile such as family photos or souvenirs from your favorite vacation that flows with the decor style of your office design. I love to add a beautiful pop of color to my desk to increase productivity while. That’s usually a fun colorful mug filled with my favorite lemon ginger tea in the mornings. Feel free to incorporate art that inspires you or plants that boost your mood. Some low-maintenance indoor plant options are snake plants, aloe vera, succulents, or cacti.
Set aside 30 minutes every Friday for tidying your office, both physically and digitally. Returning items to their proper places can actually be fun, helping you feel accomplished and complete after a long week. You too can have an inspiring and productive home office that prevents work-related injuries and ensure you reach your full potential on a daily basis.
XOXO ~ Martha
The great advice doesn't stop here. If you work from home in Gwinnett County, GA please feel free to reach out. We also offer online interior design services no matter what state you live in. I would be happy to help you design a healthy work environment that is conducive to your work-from-home lifestyle. I am good at this because I have over 20+ CEU hours of ergonomic training.