When you are in your home office or work space does it make you feel stressed? Relaxed? Energized? Worried? Overwhelmed? Bored? Creative? The best way to know how your home office feels is to leave for a few minutes and then walk back in with a fresh perspective. What do you feel?
If your home office makes you feel crummy, it’s okay because it is not difficult or expensive to change your environment. Studies show that the space around you has a profound effect on your feelings of well being and productivity. So let’s reset your brain for work and make some changes.
The best place to start would be to declutter your home office by using the sorting bins I talk about in Organizing Basics. Before we go any further, look at the layout of your furniture. Is it productive and functional? The layout of your furniture can effect the way you feel as well. Ideally your desk should not be facing a wall, it should be placed in whats called a commanding position. In this position, you are facing the entrance of your home office when at work. If your room layout will allow it, try it and you will see that it makes you feel different. More in control and more productive.
Are there things in your home office that do not belong? Is it a catch-all room from the rest of the house? If you are like me and your home office is actually where you work, it can get dicey trying to juggle work from personal. My desk is off-set in a little cubby right off my family room and kitchen, not as pretty but similar to above picture. No glamorous home office here. I would think I was in heaven if I actually had a private home office.
Because my work space is within view of the two main rooms in my home, plus the fact that I talk to you guys about organizing, and because it is a very small space, it can be a challenge to keep it neat and tidy. In order for this space to work for me, I have to remind myself to stay organized while I work because I tend to get lost in space when working on a project.
If your home office is small like mine, it is also a good idea to have a mirror in the space. This reflects light and makes it feel bigger. Have at least one small house plant to help clean the air you breath. I have a bamboo plant because it is easy to care for.
So add some spice to your work space and make it your own. Just remember to keep it real!
Making Your Home Office
