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Tips for a Productive Home Office Environment
5 MINUTE READ
If you’re used to working from home, you’ve probably got your productivity dialed. However, if you’re just starting to work from home, there can be challenges. Whether you’ve chosen to work remotely for a while or you’re unsure of the timing, it’s important to optimize the situation.
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Staying focused can be difficult especially if you have animals, children or significant others roaming around the house acting as though you’re not “working”. It also may be difficult to get yourself in the groove of being at an office without your usual office supplies. We’ve put together some of our very best tips to help you maintain productivity from the comfort of your home office.
Set an Office Mood
Creating a space is key. If you’re lucky enough to have a spare room you can set up as an office, that’s a great start. If that’s not the case and you’re taking over your dining room table, face yourself away from the foot traffic. Use doors, baby gates, even chairs if you have to, to fence yourself off from the normal everyday life that is occurring in your house. You might even want to throw in a pair of noise-canceling (or close to it) headphones.
Once you’ve got the space allocated, it’s time to set the mood. An oil diffuser is a great start! There are many inexpensive options on Amazon. The following oils have been used to help increase productivity:
- Peppermint: Increases concentration and energy levels
- Lemon: Calms the mind and decreases anxiety
- Eucalyptus: Increases blood flow to the brain
- Cinnamon: Improves memory and cognitive function
- Lavender: Relieves stress and tension
Consider adding a plant to your home office space. Not only are they pleasing to look at but some plants offer health benefits as well. For example, snake plants have air purification properties.
Sit near as much natural light as possible. This study from Alan Hedge, a professor at Cornell, states that “optimizing the amount of natural light in an office significantly improves health and wellness among workers, leading to gains in productivity.” So, if it’s possible, sit near a window.
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Silipints for Your Home Office
Bright, colorful Silipints are a great addition to your home office space. Our silicone drinkware is safe for the microwave, dishwasher and freezer so you can reheat your coffee and tea throughout the day safely! Or, make your morning smoothies and leave one in the freezer for later.
Another fun way to use colorful Silipints is to decorate your desk space. They can be used to hold your pens and pencils. You can even put a desk plant in one. Silipint tableware is perfect for your at-home meal breaks. The Squeeze-a-Bowl is great for heating up a quick portion of leftovers and then tossing in the dishwasher. Time and efficiency are key when it comes to working from home.
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Treat Your Home Like a Workplace
If you’re just beginning to work from home, don’t be afraid to give yourself some ground rules to start. Give yourself a schedule. One perk about working from home is that it’s up to you to set the schedule. Although, it’s important to stick with the schedule. Similarly to the importance of going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, setting work hours will keep on track but also keep you from overworking yourself.
There are many organizational tools to keep you working on tasks for an efficient amount of time. Begin by creating a list of goals that you wish to accomplish for the week. The most important tip is being realistic. Set your goals high, but not so high that they’re unattainable. Once you have your weekly list, break it down into what needs to be completed per day to make it all happen.
Set time slots for yourself to complete the day-to-day tasks. If you’re not getting it done in a reasonable amount of time, put it to the side and start another task. Come back to items you were stuck on 45 minutes later.
When you work in an office it’s encouraged to utilize your ten-minute breaks. Working from home is no different! It’s healthy to get up and take a quick break, get fresh air, perform jumping jacks or stretching. Come back to your work feeling refreshed and revitalized.
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Office Equipment
A great way to get in the groove of feeling like you’re in the office is by adding actual office elements that you’d normally have at work. What are you sitting on or standing on? Sure, the couch is tempting, but do you feel productive cuddled up there? If you’re struggling to focus, sit in a chair. It feels more like a working environment and it’s better support for your back.
If you prefer to stand, check out these office balance boards from Uplift Desk. These boards help boost energy and improve circulation. If you don’t already have a working space that allows you to stand and you’d like to put in the investment, you can find stand up desks on the website as well.
Another great way to improve productivity while working from home is by using a second monitor. Most workspaces encourage it, so why not have one for your home! Find a monitor of good size that also offers eye care technology. There’s nothing worse than a monitor that strains your eyes and gives you a headache. You’ll never get your work done. Here is an example from Amazon of some specs to look for in your monitor brand.
Have a Productive Day
Whether you’re choosing to work remotely because you can or because you have to, hopefully, it’s a productive space. It can be difficult, but with the right mindset and will power, you can do anything!
Leave us a comment with tips you’ve found useful for working from home. Or, share this post with others to get their feedback!
