Working from home has many perks amid the current pandemic. Being able to work in comfortable clothing, eliminating the need for takeout lunches, and even removing the headache of a daily commute are all great benefits when working from home.
You are also likely saving money on gas due to your current lack of commute to and from work. Even your auto insurance company might see a benefit to you working at home. It’s true — car insurance working from home is typically much cheaper than for those who have to drive to a job site daily. And there are many add-on savings you can likely find if you are teleworking.
With so many positive aspects of working from home, it can be hard to imagine any negatives to the situation. However, working from the comforts of home can have its challenges — one of the biggest being the motivation to sit down and focus on the tasks at hand.
With a comfortable couch or bed only steps away, the desire to sit in your home office may be minimal. The problem with situating yourself on a piece of furniture meant for relaxation is your lack of motivation to accomplish the work that needs to be done. The best place to be productive and complete tasks is a home office or office-like setting.
It can be hard to opt for your home office with so many more enticing spots available in your home. But if you want to complete work and stay on task, doing so in a workspace is the best choice.
So how can you make your home office more inviting? Let’s find out.
Create an Actual Work Area for Your Home Office
It may seem tempting to drag your work along with you wherever you go and call the spot you land your office for the day. However, productivity can quickly diminish when there are outside distractions. The television playing in the background, your partner asking you questions, even your children needing your attention can all distract from tasks at hand.
Although it’s easy to think you can still accomplish your work and give it the same effort you would working in a more quiet area, it’s usually not the case. Distractions can cause you to lose your train of thought or possibly lose your motivation altogether.
Having a quiet and private area to place your home office is the key to being more productive and accomplished in your work. Now of course, not everyone’s home design has the luxury of a spare bedroom available to serve as office space.
Even if you don’t have an entire room available, you can still search for a location within your home that provides enough privacy and silence for you to buckle down and get your work done.
Perhaps you have extra space in your master bedroom for a desk and your equipment. You may have a basement that is finished but hardly used. No matter what location you find, be sure it is somewhere you can focus and think with minimal distractions.
Create an Inviting Office with Items that Make You Happy
No matter how inviting the rest of your home may feel, offices can tend to feel stuffy. Perhaps it’s all the electronics or the concept in general, but sometimes it’s hard to feel drawn to your home office.
A simple solution is to fill your space with things you love. If you have children, allow their artwork to fill your walls. The small reminders of them throughout your day will supply you with love and joy. They can also be a great reminder as to why you wish to do well in your work.
If you love photos, create a collage on your walls or set up frames on your desk filled with your favorite memories, locations, or places you would love to visit. They can help bring a smile to your face throughout your work time. You may love greenery and plants, so add a few of those in your office space. The possibilities are truly endless. Simply think of items that will make you feel happy and include them in your office to make your time spent there more enjoyable.
Create a Comfortable Balance in Your Work-from-Home Space
An office chair is certainly not as comfortable as some of the other pieces of furniture in your home — and you likely shouldn’t want it to be. Too much comfort, as said before, can fast-track you to motivation loss.
This doesn’t mean you have to completely sacrifice comfort, however. Finding a nice office chair with good support can help increase your chances of sitting down and accomplishing your work. It is all about finding a balance between being uncomfortable and too comfortable.
You might enjoy some pillows on your office chair if you can’t find one to your liking. There are also many options for support add-ons available to purchase online. These items can keep your comfort level perfectly balanced while working in your home office.
Rather than hoping to avoid your desk at all costs, a comfortable place to sit and work can be an invitation to your work-from-home space.
Light Up Your Home Office
There are significant benefits to working in a room filled with natural light. If you can, try to choose an office location with plenty of windows that allow sunlight in. Rather than your office feeling dark and dreary, sunlight can create a big mood booster while you work.
If you can’t have your office in a location with natural light, be sure to include plenty of lamps and lights. Opt for lighting choices that provide you with indirect light rather than harsh, overhead lighting. Simple lamps with shades to subdue some of the intensity work perfectly for office settings.
Lighting up your home office will create a space that feels much more welcoming than one that is poorly lit. Lighting can affect productivity, so ensuring your office is filled with good lighting can make all the difference in your work.
Create a Welcoming Home Office
Working from home has many perks. You can skip the morning commute and avoid potential speeding tickets. Your appearance is less important, saving you time and effort in the mornings. However, it may still be challenging to find motivation when working from your home office — even with all the perks.
Offices can be uninviting when compared to the comforts of the rest of your home. Though it may be tempting to choose the couch as your workspace for the day, using your dedicated office space will be where you are the most motivated and productive.
Determining how to make your home office more inviting may seem complicated, but it doesn’t have to be. Using these tips, you can create a work-from-home environment that welcomes you each day you enter.
Alexandra Arcand works from home writing and researching for the auto insurance comparison site, AutoInsurance.org. She enjoys finding ways to make her home office more enjoyable to boost her mood and productivity.
