Boost Productivity With These Home Office Setup Tips

Do you work remotely, or will you do so in the near future? If so, you need a home office setup that allows you to be productive.

Some research suggests that employees working from home get more done because there are far fewer distractions. These remote workers can focus on the job at hand and don’t have the distraction of office socialization, interactions, or the time wasted during a commute. The quiet and calm environment leads to more productive workers who can get a lot more done during the day.

Here are some great tips to create a home office setup that leads to improved productivity.

Create a calm and quiet office

The best place for any home office is a location away from the noise and distractions. Many homes have an open concept floor plan, which means the kitchen and living room are out. Find a small spare bedroom, a corner of your master bedroom, or a place in your basement that could be the quiet and calm location for you to work. If you have kids at home, this is an extremely important part of creating your workspace.

Keep your work surface organized

It can be fun to add decorations and pictures to your desk, but if they become a distraction, they must go. It’s also important to stay organized and know where everything that you’ll need during the day is located. If you have to spend extra time looking for items that you need, you’re wasting time. One of the best ways to have a home office setup that leads to a productive day is to make sure your desk is organized and clutter-free. Put the extra stuff away so you can focus on your work.

Keep a clean house

When your mind wanders to the messes you have around your home, it can be extremely difficult to focus and concentrate on your work. Spend a little time each night cleaning up to make sure the mess on your kitchen counter or in your bedroom won’t distract you from the things you need to do. It’s not enough to shut the office door; you’ve got to clean up and know that your home is not messy. Spend a little time each night cleaning your space to ensure you have a productive day the next day.

Add a few plants to the mix

Your office will look and feel much better when you add a desk or floor plant that gives you an added breath of fresh air in your workspace. This is a good way to have visual variety and something more than a computer screen and a few walls to look at. If you don’t want to tend to your plants regularly, try some small succulents that don’t require as much care or time to keep them alive.

How does your office smell

Smells can make a huge difference in any space. When you want to create a home office setup that helps you be more productive, try adding some essential oils that are proven to help people get things done. Peppermint is great for an energy boost, and rosemary is known to improve concentration and help you get things done faster and more accurately. If you’re feeling a little anxious, a little sweet orange can help with this problem. Look up how each scent works and how it should help you.

Create to-do lists

Start with a long to-do list of items you want to get done, but it might take more than a day or two. Then, make a shorter checklist of the items that must get done in the next couple of hours. Once this shorter list is completed, you can make another list with more items that must be done. As you continue to make these shorter to-do lists, you’ll find that you’ve suddenly gotten most of your original list completed.

Breaks are important

It’s important to take breaks while you work, but those breaks should have some meaning. This might not be as much a part of your home office setup, but it can help you be more productive. If you spend your workdays staring at a computer screen, try to take breaks that allow you to put all your screens down. This could be heading to the garden for a few minutes to pull weeds, take a short walk, meditate, or go for a short drive.

Your home office setup needs to help you be more productive every day. Part of this setup is how you work and your daily habits, which can lead to being better at working from home than you ever were at the office.