Whether you are working in-house or from home, you will end up spending almost one-third of your time in your work environment. During these long hours, you need to be both creative and productive to ensure efficiency throughout the day. That's why it is essential to put in a bit of effort in making your office look visually appealing. Your home office shouldn't just be a room or spot where you go to work, it should be a place that draws you in and keeps you focused all day long.
The environment you work in has a major impact on your concentration and mood. An aesthetically pleasing space is more likely to have a positive psychological effect as opposed to a dull and boring workstation. Here are a few tips that will help you elevate the visual appeal of your home office.
1. Add Natural Element with Greenery & Fresh Air
Introducing some natural components to your workplace may completely transform the atmosphere of the area, and just placing wooden furniture or plants in the room can completely transform the atmosphere of the space. Plants are especially important if you are unable to locate your workstation near a window. These plants will add some life to your workspace, ensuring that it is not only occupied by stationery and documents, and they will provide an excellent reason to get up and stroll to the kitchen to water them. Everyone needs the occasional diversion.
Ensure that the space you pick as your home office has adequate ventilation. It doesn't necessarily need to be right next to the window but it should be in the path of fresh air. Without fresh air, you will start to feel more and more fatigued and that will directly impact your productivity and mood.
2. Take Care of Natural and Artificial Lighting
You may not be delighted with the prospect of working so near to your warm and comfortable bed every morning, but don't assign yourself the darkest part of your house. Natural light is essential for maintaining your focus while working. Similarly, when a desk is situated facing a window, the light may be excessively strong, if at all feasible, arrange your desk perpendicular to the window.
However, proper desk lighting is as necessary as natural light. It will prevent you from straining your eyes and will allow you to retain your concentration on the work at hand. Make use of a spotlight that is slightly below eye level so that you are not dazzled by it but that your workstation is well lighted at all times. Strip lighting beneath shelves is also a wonderful option for bigger office areas, such as conference rooms.
3. Focus on Colour Coordination and Add Meaningful Art
While it is fine to have strictly functional furniture, colour-coordinated space where you focus on contrast and consistency can be far more visually appealing. For instance, you can go for a desk and a chair featuring brushed metallic legs with wooden-texture lamination. These appear to be small details initially but when you have to sit around in a single spot for hours on a regular basis, an aesthetically pleasing environment keeps you away from distractions.
Apart from that, you can add purposeful art pieces to the environment. Place them on your desk using a frame or hang them on the wall behind or adjacent to the desk. This will enable you to improve the overall appeal of your home office without having to spend a lot of money.
4. Keep Your Work Area Clean and Uncluttered
Don't forget that while you put in substantial effort to create a visually appealing workspace, clutter can completely ruin the look. It doesn't only impact the aesthetic you are going for but can reduce your productivity. You don't want to end up going through a pile of documents, gadgets, cups, and other stuff to get your work done. It may take a little bit of time to develop an organised home office but it is always worth the effort.
Remove everything from the space that's not related to your work, for example, books that you might be reading. Assign a space for different types of things such as stationery, documents, electronic devices, and more. This way you will always have quick and easy access to anything you need without having to go through rubble.
5. Don’t Forget to Personalise the Space
Adding a few personal touches from home, such as pictures, may go a long way toward making a working space seem more like home. The presence of images of your children and pets, vacation snaps, and other good memories may transform your workspace from one that makes you feel confined to your desk all day to one that fills you with delight.
It's quite natural to feel unmotivated at work, which is why you need reminders of your objectives, your interests, and your reason for doing what you do on your desk. It's an excellent approach to decorate your workspace and keep you focused on your final aim. You may include phrases that inspire you, photographs that bring a smile to your face, memories of prior achievement, and images that remind you of your goals.
Final Word
Working from home is here to stay and that’s why it’s about time we should start thinking about creating permanent home offices that aren’t only functional but aesthetically pleasing. You don’t need to put in a lot of effort to do so. Just take care of colour coordination, add some personalisation, and let fresh air and natural light in!
