Home Office Ideas to Increase Productivity
There’s no doubt that the need for a home office is more prevalent today than ever before!
But what does that look like? Are you bombarded with kids sneaking in the room while on a conference call? Do you have pets or other distractions that interrupt your work flow? Perhaps there is no dedicated workspace in your home.
Did you know that studies show that it takes on average 24 minutes to regain your focus and get back on task after an interruption? Distractions at work can add up to more than you think!
Follow along as we share 5 home office ideas that will help to increase productivity and minimize distractions!
(And you get to come take a little tour and see our home office ideas.)
This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Please see our disclosure here for details.
Tip #1: Incorporate Your Own Style
Does a home office really need to reflect my own style?
Let’s think about that for a minute. You may think that the style of a workspace doesn’t matter. You can get busy working anywhere in any space right?
This may be true, but if your own personal style is incorporated into your home office the entire feel and atmosphere will automatically enhance your ability to concentrate and create.
Why? Because you’re somewhere comfortable, somewhere familiar, a place where you can be more authentic, the real YOU!
For me that meant creating a space that was light and airy with a hint of color. I chose an aqua blue (aqua smoke by Behr, from The Home Depot) and a little pop of orange with the color of the postal sorter. This color combo is happy and cheerful and makes me feel energized.
Incorporating your style also means the use of specific items or pieces of furniture that reflect who you are.
I love thrifting! I love taking an old forgotten piece and bringing it back to life again!
This postal sorter has a story of its own…but the short version is that my Mom and I drug the kids along for a day trip about 6 hours roundtrip, to get this!
I found them on our local classifieds (only 6 hours wasn’t quite what I’d call local), and we loaded up the trailer and brought 4 back home! 2 for me (one here in the office, and one in the garage for storing shoes, gardening gloves etc.), 1 for my Mom in their home office, and 1 for my dear friend.
(Hey when you’re gonna make the effort to go that far to pick something amazing up, you’re gonna make the best of it and buy in bulk right?)
By simply adding a wood desk top to the postal sorter, we now have a workstation with plenty of storage.
(Details on how we turned these into desks can be found here.)
I also wanted a large work surface for crafting, wrapping presents, DIYing, all the things! Well, rather than buy expensive cabinetry and countertop, we made our own island.
You know I love to repurpose and reuse furniture. This dresser was just sitting in our basement collecting dust. So I gave it a fresh coat of paint and we added an oak countertop.
I take that back, my Dad built my lovely countertop for my birthday using the same materials and method from our built-in mudroom!
Best present ever! Thanks again Dad!
I requested it be large enough with an overhang to allow seating. (Thrifted seating of course! I snagged 3 of these stools for a total of $20! Crazy good deal.) The overhang is supported by corbels on each end. (These too are thrifted and painted to match.)
Tip #2: Ask How This Space Needs To Function?
First and foremost, decide how this room needs to function to serve your needs.
During the planning stages designing with our home office ideas, we knew this space needed to be multi-functional.
At the time, my Hubby was headed back to school for what would be his 2nd Bachelors degree, and we needed a dedicated space for him to study.
This space would also double as the home office/craft room. All of my days have been filled with dreams of having my own craft room! A space to store all of the supplies, a space to cultivate creativity, a space to be inspired. And now my dreams have come true!
You’ll notice in the photo above that we have created 5 different workstations. 3 separate desk spaces and 2 at the island. Now each of us in our little family of 5 each have a dedicated space to study, work and create.
Little did we know how HANDY this space would be during quarantine! This space has been a life saver for our family!
(Ellie and Gavin also have desks in their rooms which has been helpful too. These spaces have come in handy to limit distractions with various zoom calls etc.) Let’s just spell it out…my kids are SPOILED! I know, but it’s good to have options. And during quarantine we desperately needed some personal space from one another!
Can you relate?
Tip #3: Consider The Use of Natural Lighting
Not only does the use of natural lighting allow you to save on your energy bills, but there are a slew of other benefits as well, such as:
- increased amount of concentration and focus resulting in more productivity
- reduces blood pressure
- reduces stress and anxiety
- it can even increase the value of your home
- increases happiness and helps prevent sadness
- vital source of Vitamin D
- benefits vision
- better for healthier indoor plants
- can suppress your appetite and aid in losing weight
- gives you more energy
- helps you sleep better
For more information on any of these benefits head to this article.
Who wouldn’t want one or even all of these benefits simply by incorporating natural lighting into their home office?
Sign me up! Oh wait, I do have a large window, yay for me.
What if you don’t have a large window?
The next best alternative is to use ample lighting. Be sure to include task lighting for specific needs, and use daylight bulbs as much as possible!
You can also set a reminder to stretch and walk around outside for a minute. Soak up some of that Vitamin D, get some fresh air and get back to work and see if that doesn’t boost your productivity!
Tip #4: Clear Office From Clutter
You’ve likely heard “there’s a place for everything, and everything in it’s place”.
Having order and organization will not only help you keep a tidy workspace, but consider this;
The home office is for getting things done.
It’s important to hide cord clutter or any other eyesores to eliminate the chaotic look that can ultimately lead to feeling overwhelmed.
Feeling overwhelmed can lead to stress and anxiousness.
Stress is a normal part of life. Work and home life have their own stresses. Why inadvertently add more stress by working in a cluttered home office?
Take time to gather items to keep paper clutter and other eyesores at bay. You’ll be amazed how much stress this will alleviate.
Tip #5: Select a Dedicated Workspace
Having a dedicated workspace will minimize distractions allowing for better concentration, creativity and efficiency.
Select a dedicated workspace as best you can.
If you have a spare bedroom to convert into a home office, by all means jump on the opportunity.
If your space is small or you don’t have a specific room to dedicate as a home office, you can still make it work.
Select an area of your home and dedicate it as your workspace.
Assign yourself work hours, and be sure to include the family in your plans. Helping them be aware of dedicated quiet time free from distractions is key to better productivity.
(I say this as I myself have been interrupted 900 times and counting by my kids just writing this! It’s a work in progress. We aren’t perfect, and bless this hybrid school schedule! I try to utilize the hours they’re physically in school, but the days we have remote learning from home are a different story!)
We hope these home office ideas have been helpful if you’re starting to think about creating your own workspace at home.
Planning and designing the space are key to making it function for your needs. Think long-term. The goal is to ultimately get you the space you are looking for so you can use for years to come.
It’s ok to phase things in as time and other resources allow. Start where and how you can. Just be sure to have your end goal in mind and incorporate the elements first that will allow you to maximize the benefits from your hard work and ultimately reach that goal!
You may also be interested in our step by step guide on how to design a room. In this post we dive a little deeper into the design fundamentals. You’ll also get a peek into our thought process and how we like to bring all the elements in a room together.
Shop This Look
Please PIN and share with your friends! Sharing is caring! If you’re new here, WELCOME! We love to meet new friends.
Say hi in the comments below, we’d love to hear from you. You can also learn more about us here.
Thanks for spending some time with us today!
And as always here at Sunny Side Design
WE HOPE TO BRING YOUR HOME TO THE SUNNY SIDE OF THE STREET!
Be sure to follow us on Pinterest for even more home decor and DIY ideas.
To see what we are working on before it’s on our blog, follow us on Instagram.
You can also find our video tutorials on our YouTube channel.
Pingback: Time Saving Simple Mistakes to Avoid Installing a Shiplap Ceiling