Setting up a home office space is easy. You have some area, a chair, a table, and that is it. Unfortunately, that is not enough for a good productive day. You may wonder if there are any special things or accessories that make your productivity boost while working in a home office? In this article, we are going to share with you a few cool and easy ideas on how to set up a productive home office space.
A Productive Home Office Space: 11 Ideas To Boost Your Productivity
1.Create some order, not a mess
Look at your home office space right now. Is there any order? Or does it look messy? According to some scientists from the University of Chicago, the absence of order on the table is bad for your mental health. Mess may lead to a loss of sense of personal control. In the long run, it leads to a disorganized life and failure of completing tasks.
Order does not include only having a clear desk with a set of organized folders. How about cables and cords that are irritating you? One solution is to hide them under the table or in a closet. Another solution is to get a special holder that makes all the cables and cords shorter when you put them into a special roller. Anyways, having them out of your eyes reach is beneficial for your productivity.
2.Set distractions away while you work
How often do you use a phone? What about your iPad? Do you have a plate with cookies on your desk? Make an experiment and try to work without these things for a day. Do you see the difference?
What about listening to music and podcasts? It is optional. However, in many cases, both may significantly distract you. The same is about watching movies and sitcoms on the second screen. A good thing is that you can listen to music, check your Instagram and watch a part of a movie during your break. It will not just make you happier but will also reset your brain and make you more productive.
3.Prioritize your tasks
The first thing that suffers while working in a home office is discipline. Imagine opening up your planner and finding out a bunch of tasks with many coming up deadlines. You are scared, you may panic but also you get lazy. All of the reactions are normal for human beings. It is just the way your body reacts to stress. What should you do? Try to prioritize the tasks you have. Take two papers. Write all your tasks on paper one. Create a chart with important/not important, urgent/not urgent tasks and assignments on paper two. Fill in this chart with your task. Remember to write only one task or assignment into one column.
Interestingly enough, a task color also influences your ability to successfully complete it. You will never guess what is the best color for marking up a task. It is pretty pink. This color has the highest percentage of task completion. Rosy red, purple and orange are, on the contrary, colors with the least likeliness of a good completion.
4.Drink water and other beverages
Having a glass of water at your desk is important. Why? According to a study of the University of East London and the University of Westminster, drinking water boosts your performance and mood. It also makes your reaction times faster, especially when you feel thirsty and then get a glass of water. Do not forget that water has a bunch of other benefits. It helps your digestion and your kidneys, and it makes your skin more healthy and beautiful.
Many scientists worldwide recommend starting your day with a glass of water. Pure water restarts all the living processes in your body, including your brain. It is like a fresh inhale of air after staying for too long in one room.
We agree that drinking water all day long may be a bit boring. If you like coffee or tea, then go for it. If you want to get a cold drink with a vitamin boost, you can add some natural vitamins and minerals into it, for example, moringa.
5. Eat healthy snacks
Water and other fancy drinks are good but you are a human being so you need to get some energy to support your productivity levels during the day. Snacks are well-known assistants for your brain work. Eating throughout the day is much better than eating only once or twice. Why? Your glucose level is responsible for brain work. This level is not always constant, and it changes with the amount and frequency of your meals, accordingly. The more often you eat, the more stable your glucose level will be.
Making wise decisions about snacks is essential for your productivity. Bad news for sweet tooths is that eating cookies and candies is not a good option. Instead, switch to fruits and vegetables that contain sugar. Fruits and vegetables increase curiosity, engagement, memory and motivation. All of these will automatically raise your productivity levels.
6.Set a pleasant room temperature
This is something you may not think about. However, room temperature significantly influences your performance. So, what is the best average room temperature for a productive home office? Some studies show that the best room temperature is between 21 and 22 degrees Celsius. The best in terms of your feeling and also in terms of your productivity.
Of course, the temperature in your home office may change, depending on the central heating, open or closed windows and the season outside. The best option here is to check your room temperature every day and be aware of any changes. Getting a small thermometer that also measures humidity in the room would be a nice investment not for your home office space but also for your health in general.
7.Choose one of the five colors
When thinking about how to set up a productive home office space, many people take wall colors for granted. However, not every color suits both your home office and boost your productivity. A great variety of studies worldwide shows that the following five colors make a significant increase in your productivity: blue, green, yellow, red and white. Blue and green create a relaxed feeling in your office. Both colors relieve the stress level. Red and yellow make you more energetic. However, having too much red or yellow may have a negative effect and make you anxious. White is another good option for an office color. A white office will always look modern, it also adds a feeling of freshness and airiness.
8.Make your home office space greener
Greener not in terms of colors. Greener in terms of plants and flowers. It is a well-known fact that both flowers and plants are good for the air. What about productivity? Some studies of the Washington State University show that the productivity of people who have plants or flowers at their desks significantly increases, compared with those who do not have any. Another benefit of having plants or flowers in the office is about health. A study from the New University of Technology Sydney confirms a significant reduction in stress, anxiety and depression levels in offices with plants, compared to offices without plants.
9.Set up pictures and calendars on your desk
Are you counting days until your next vacation? Do you miss the happy faces of your friends and relatives? Are you dreaming about getting a pet or a new bicycle for summer? Do not torture yourself but let the pictures motivate you. Print out hilarious and cute pictures of people you love and had some cool times with. Get a calendar that counts days until a definite date. Turn the paper every day, and get closer to it.
10.Add more light
Light influences us physically, physiologically and psychologically. The more light you have in the room, the brighter your day gets. Using natural lights is always better than using an artificial one. However, if you have to work at night or in winter, a good lamp is essential for your eyes. The less light you get, the faster you get exhausted. Having one lamp on the table together with central lighting in the room is essential. Get another table lamp and place it on the corner of your desk.
11.Get a good desk: a standing desk as a good option
Standing desks have proven to have positive effects on health. When being totally into a task, you do not notice how long you can sit. After some time you may notice some pain in your back and legs. Why so? Sitting for too long may bring some unpleasant issues such as deep vein thrombosis, dementia or osteoporosis. A standing desk is a good alternative to a regular desk as it lets you stand during your working hours. Just with one button press, and your desktop will go up, letting you be acquainted with many benefits personally.
Conclusion
Setting up a productive home office space may become an issue for many of us. The tips the Fitness Team has given to you will help you and your productivity very quickly. If you have any ideas or suggestions about how to set up a productive home office space, send them to us. We will always be happy to hear from you!
Resources:
- Boyoun Chae and Rui Zhu (2013): Environmental Disorder Leads to Self-Regulatory Failure
- Gloria Mark, Shamsi Iqbal, Mary Szerwinski (2017): How Blocking Distractions Affects Workplace Focus and Productivity
- Honor Whiteman (2013): Drinking water boosts your brain’s reaction time
- Olli Seppanen, William J. Fisk, Q.H. Lei (2006): Effect of temperature on task performance in office environment
- Virginia Lohr, Caroline H. Pearson-Mims and Georgia K. Goodwin (1995): Interior plants may improve worker productivity in a windowless environment
- Margaret Buchet, Fraser Torpy, Jason Brennan, Ashley Craig (2010): Greening the Great Indoors for Human Health and Wellbeing
- Alina Dizik (2013): How to transform your workplace with color
- Nancy Kwallek, Carol M. Lewis (1988): Effects of office interior color on workers’ mood and productivity
- Alesandra Dubin (2013): These are the 15 easiest indoor houseplants (that won’t die on you)
- Ron Friedman (2014): What You Eat Affects Your Productivity
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