MY TIPS FOR A PRODUCTIVE HOME OFFICE
Well, these are strange times we are living in at the moment and with people now working from home more than ever before I thought it would be appropriate to share some tips for creating a productive home office environment.
I spend a lot of time at home, either at my desk or painting in my studio area and I’m gradually learning what things I need around me for creativity, inspiration and productivity. Here are my three top tips…
1. NATURAL LIGHT
If possible, try to position your desk either in front of a window or at least in a room where there is plenty of natural light. Working on a screen for long periods of time strains your eyes so if you can look out of a window at regular intervals this will help not only to boost your serotonin levels but also to exercise your eyes by adjusting focus to something in the distance.
Having natural light coming in to the room will help reduce tiredness and keep stress levels to a minimum - we all know the effect sunshine has on us. In the winter time when days are darker I use a SAD lamp to help boost my mood.
2. TIDY DESK, TIDY MIND
I have to admit that this is something I struggle with - my desk is not always (ie. never) as tidy as in the picture above! I have a lot more stuff on it now: my printer, notebooks, swatches etc which are all essential to my work but it also does tend to get used as a bit of a dumping ground for pens, random business cards I’ve collected, post and other little bits and bobs.
The key here is organisation. Because I work across different areas (art, colour consultancy and styling) I recently bought some clipboards so that I can keep all the paperwork for each job together in one place. It also allows me to see what jobs I have open and makes it easier to prioritise.
I have a small storage box for stationery items and to keep all my receipts and accounting bits tidy. It’s also a good idea to keep things like pens, a calculator and sticky notes within easy reach so you don’t have to go hunting around when you’re on the phone!
Of course, the right hand side of my desk is ALWAYS clear - the cats like to use it as their vantage point to keep an eye on what’s happening in the garden!
3. STICK TO YOUR STYLE
This last tip really applies if you are fortunate enough to have a whole room for your office. It is a fair assumption to think that your workspace should be clinical and neutral so as to induce productivity but, as interior designer Sophie Robinson recently discovered, if that is not your natural style it will have the opposite effect. Sophie is known throughout the design world as the ‘Queen of Colour’ and someone who isn’t afraid to pattern-clash and go nuts with bold, bright hues. It was her thinking that if she decorated her home office in all white it would give her clarity and space to think. However, as this is so contrary to her natural style, being in an all-white room actually had a negative effect, leaving her feeling depressed and drained of any inspiration.
(via Instagram) Sophie’s all-white home office made her feel totally uninspired…
…now it is filled with fun and her signature cobalt blue. (via Instagram)
It’s important to create a space that inspires and is actually a room that you want to be in. For me, white is calming and helps me keep stay focussed but others need colour. Whatever your personal style, carry it through in to your home office to ensure maximum productivity.