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Let’s face it, working in the same place where you live can be a challenge. Setting up a dedicated home office space is critical to creating separation between work and the rest of your life. Check out these great tips for making the most of your home office from the experts at Noël Home.
1 – Create Separation
During this time while we’re socially isolating and there is no where to go but the next room, it’s easy to slide into being in work-mode 24/7. By creating a separate space dedicated for work, you can more easily confine your work activities to that environment. By cultivating a habit of focusing on work only while you are in this space, you can develop a healthier work-life balance that will benefit your entire family.
Separate space can also offer privacy and minimize distractions, supporting both a more productive and less stressful work environment. A separate room is the ideal space for a home office, but you can also create separation by partitioning a room with a screen or defining space with creative furniture arrangement. If several people will be using the same space, you can even create separate work areas for each person.
2 – Design for Functionality
First and foremost, your workspace must be functional. Consider what sort of activities you will need to perform. Do you need room to spread out on a large workspace? Do you need space for a laptop, printer, fax machine? What type of storage will you need for files and supplies? How can you contain and organize your office clutter? If your home office will be used by several people, what individual needs can you anticipate? Do you need gathering space for collaboration?
Explore some of the general and task lighting options, ergonomic furnishings, storage, seating and desks available today at Noël Home.
3 – Create an Aesthetically Pleasing Space
If you are working from home, you will probably spend a lot of time in your home office so it should be an aesthetically pleasing space where it’s easy to focus and relax into your work. Neutral colors may help minimize distractions, but pops of color may inspire your imagination. Consider what is most supportive to the nature of your work and to your personality.
4 – Stage an Attractive Backdrop for Video Conference Calls
Are you participating in video conference calls? If you’re meeting with colleagues via Zoom, Teams or any of the video conferencing platforms, you know how important the background is. Jokes about whether or not you need pants aside, we’ve all seen how unprofessional it can look to have stacks of laundry or dirty dishes in the background when you’re online in a business meeting. On a video conference call, your backdrop can make as big an impression as your clothes and appearance do in person. Avoid distracting clutter. Bring in a little warmth with a beautiful houseplant. Consider a single, beautiful piece of art. Remember that this is your office, and just as with an on-site office at work, it will convey whatever level of sophistication, playfulness or elegance you choose.
Setting up a beautiful, functional new home office space doesn’t have to be intimidating. Need some more inspiration? Give Noël Home a call at 713-874-5200 or schedule a consultation today and let our expert designers help guide you to the perfect space. We can assist in any way you choose – via message, phone, FaceTime, Zoom, email and in person.
