I started my work life as an office worker and worked in one office or another for over 30 years. And let me tell you, some of those experiences were awful! When I was 21, I worked for a couple who owned their business in Glen Ellyn, IL, and had a small strip-mall office. There was the outer office where I worked with the wife, the office behind us where the husband would work, and behind him were the closet size storeroom and bathroom. Both of these individuals smoked. And remember, I wrote that we were in Illinois so obviously the office was closed up tight during the freezing winter months. I would go home at night literally reeking of cigarette smoke (this was the early 80’s before they made laws about such things).
I’ve worked in offices both large and small, in tiny three-person companies and international organizations and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that nothing gets done efficiently if you’re not comfortable. Back in the day, I would always get a laugh from someone as I started to transform my office into ‘my space’. And it was always the person that laughed, who would come into my office at various times during the day ‘to take a break’. That’s because when you enter my office, the overhead lights are off, and there are lamps like you would find in a comfortable room at home. There are rugs on the floor, and pictures on the walls that make me smile. My office was more like a room you would be comfortable in at home.
And now life finds many of us working from home (or at least those who have that luxury). So how do you take a regular room in your home and turn it into a comfortable place to work, and a room you will enjoy being in?
Start with the lighting
Not to get too touchy-feely but overhead lights are just bad Feng Shui, and they are not good for your health. Fluorescent lights can cause headaches, migraines, eye strain, and sleeping issues. This may be because the electricity that passes through a fluorescent light is not consistent, but it flickers constantly (much like they do when they are ready to go out). Your best bet for office lighting is ambient lighting, which is caused by lamps placed around the room. If you don’t have a choice about the overhead lights, try putting them on a dimmer so you can bring the glare down.
Add some soft and cozy
I don’t know about you, but I do not work from home in my shoes. So that means I must have a soft and cushy rug under my feet (but not so soft that my chair can’t roll around). Plus, I love having something bright and colorful underfoot!
Stay Organized
It can be easy to allow clutter to accumulate, especially when your home and office are sharing the same space. When I walk into my office and it's a cluttered mess, I immediately feel overwhelmed and don’t know where to start. However, when I close up shop for the night I clear my desk of everything except my ‘to do’ stack for the next morning, which helps me to start my day in a productive manner. Also, I make sure that all clutter is out of my line of sight when I’m working (and that includes upcoming projects), which helps me to remain focused on the present task.
Add some greenery
Not everyone has a green thumb, but you should add some plants to your office even if you are not a ‘plant person’. Green is associated with harmony, growth, and renewal and can even help to improve a brand image. Plants are known to reduce stress and remove pollutants in the air, and indoor plants can change the acoustics of a room by absorbing noises. If you don’t know much about plants and are a bit nervous, I would suggest a Pothos plant as they are just about impossible to kill! It’s even been nicknamed ‘Devil’s Ivy’ because of its hardiness and ability to grow in near darkness.
The term ‘work from home’ is taking on a whole new meaning these days. Some people are having such a hard time with the work/home balance that they are even renting hotel rooms to work from during the day, just to get out of the house. Part of the key to making work from home successful is to keep your day structured, keep your lines of communication open, and make your workspace your own.
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