Working from home has been blissful for me.
I determine my work hours, how often I want to interact with people and I have the flexibility of living life on my own terms.
There’s one snag though- reduced productivity. It sometimes slowly creeps up on me and sends my stress levels through the roof if I don’t rein it in.
There are days when I wake up and really don’t feel like doing anything. There are also days when I’n being intentional about getting work done, but I’m lured away by numerous distractions.
I’ve learnt the value of a dedicated office space to boost productivity. This article showcases lessons I’ve learned while clearing out a portion of room to make space for an office.
If I can do it, you can do it too.
Identify the Right Spot
I have found that the first step in keeping my productivity at home under wraps is finding the right place for my home office.
My computer desk was originally between my bed and my tv. So, guess what happened? Two hours of work would lead to me turning my head to the tv and then to bed.
Eventually, without even really thinking about it, I would end up on my bed with the tv on watching my favourite shows.
This arrangement wouldn’t work as I transitioned to working from home full-time.
One day, I stood up in my room in my superwoman pose and I thought about the best place to set up my home office.
There was this old bed in my room that I had wanted moved for ages. It had become a cluttered mess and was slowly being eaten away by termites.
This would be the perfect spot for my computer desk for 3 reasons:
- My back would be turned away from my 2 main distractions: my bed and my tv.
- I would be facing a wall that I could decorate to give that boss chic office feel.
- Removing the bed would make the room feel more spacious and less distracting. The cluttered bed was also a distraction.
It doesn’t matter how cramped your home is; the perfect area for your home office exists. You just have to spend time finding it.
Get help
I clearly couldn’t move this bed by myself. So, I asked my boyfriend to help me. I also asked him to give me some advice about what I could do with the space to give it more of an office feel.
We discussed some ideas and I’m still in the process of making them a reality. You’ll see some of them when I share another blog post about my evolving office space.
Make it Your Own
I am still working on this step and will probably update the blog when I have put everything together.
Decorating the space to make it feel like a place you want to work is important.
I want to hang up a logo board of my dream business and some motivational quotes. I am also considering getting a divider to separate the office area from the rest of the room.
It’s a work in progress, but here’s an image of what the computer desk looks like against the wall.
The Right Space for Your Home Office Exists
It may seem impossible to find right now, but it’s there. Think carefully about ways that you can rearrange your cramped space so that your work station is turned away from distractions.
Ask a friend for advice and help. Decorate the space to make it your own. Setting up this home office space has increased my productivity.
I know your productivity will also increase when you set up your home office the right way.
Success Lifestyle Magazine 