by William Kenny

Creative home office ideas are essential for people working remotely for the first time. These home office design ideas should help.

We’ve all heard of a home away from home. Now millions of us are setting up an office away from the office – and, for many, it’s the first time we’ve had to do it.

Good home office design is about staying fit and healthy first and foremost. But it’s also about keeping a positive attitude and staying professional when you’re not in a purpose-made business setting.

And it’s also about satisfying your personal taste. This is your chance to freshen up your workspace decor in a way you could only dream about in that drab old open-plan office. Get it right and you’ll be jumping out of bed in the morning, impatient to start your commute to the next room along…

Workstation Ergonomics

Office furniture design has been refined over decades to follow the latest health and safety guidelines. Most workplace chairs and desks are built to optimise the posture of an average human body, as well as being adjustable to the needs of each individual worker.

Now many of us are improvising a home office using household furniture – which might need some tweaking before it gives you the same ergonomic benefits. Here are some tips for getting your workstation to a professional standard.

• Chair height. When sitting, your upper legs should be parallel with the floor, and your feet flat on the ground/footrest.

• Desk height. The seat of your chair should fit right under the desk, so your stomach is close to the edge of the desk as you sit and you don’t need to lean forward. Your arms should be bent at a roughly 90° angle.

• Position of monitor. The top of your monitor should be level with or slightly below eye level. The screen should be at least 50cm from your eyes.

• Sitting posture. Your back should be straight. Ideally your lower back will be supported – either by the curvature of the chair itself, or an added lumbar support.

Office Time, Down Time

The place where you come to unwind after the pressures of the working day – your home – is now going to be the very place where those pressures apply the most. That means it’s important that you keep a healthy division between the “work” and “not work” parts of your life.

Keep your work area distinct from the rest of your home, but also try to keep “clocking on” according to a regular timetable. This will help you stay focused and determined during the 9 to 5, but also help stop you bringing business worries “home”.

Here are some tips to help you:

• Declutter. Removing anything from your home office environment that isn’t work-related will help create a calm, streamlined workflow. (Of course, if you’ve moved into the storeroom, decluttering the whole room isn’t realistic. But try to clear the part where you’ll be working at least.)

• Limit personal phone usage. At the office there’s little danger that shooting off a quick personal text will disrupt your productivity. But at home there’s a risk your personal life will start to take over. Until the working day is done, it’s best to set aside non-urgent personal correspondence.

• Don’t get too warm. Many of us like to come home to a super-cosy house. But office temperatures are kept down for a reason: toasty rooms can lull us into a soporific doze.

• Get dressed! Maintain your routine of wearing at least semi-formal attire during work hours to keep up a professional attitude. Even more important if you’ll be taking video calls!*

*In theory you’ll only be seen from the waist up, but we certainly wouldn’t want to encourage half-measures here.

Mood and Motivation

Think about how your old office environment was designed and the ways it helped you to perform effectively. As much as possible, try to recreate the aspects which helped to motivate you. Other than that, you’re free to do it your way – no need for the features you found distracting or just plain unattractive unless they’re essential for the job.

There’s at least one clear advantage to working from home: you’re now your own boss when it comes to decisions about lighting, decor scheme and music policy!

Here are some tips for staying positive:

• New wall decor. So long as it’s kept restrained and professional, a new piece of wall art can be wonderfully inspiring. Think about getting a canvas print with an image that will focus your mind – a dynamic aerial shot, a harmonious geometric pattern, maybe even an inspirational quote.

• Natural light. It’s well known that daylight is linked to positive thinking, improved focus and even better sleep. Set up your workstation by a window if possible.

• Plants. A bit of the green stuff will make your working area feel more alive, but will have a calming effect too. Plants don’t just produce a sense of harmony, they actually exude the oxygen we need to think clearly!

If you follow the most important home-office rules and leave room for some motivating individual touches, there’s every chance you’ll be able to raise your game at work and feel better in yourself too. And when you’ve clocked off, remember that the commuting time you’ve saved is now yours to use in whatever way you like!

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