Whether you’re studying, working from home, or doing tasks such as paperwork, you’ll want to have a space where you can do what you need. You know you can’t work at the dining table all the time, or even on the sofa, yet you’re not sure how to create an effective work space.
If you’re thinking of taking a new course or degree, or you’re planning on working from home more often, it’s essential you set up the best surroundings for you. Here are some tips on how to do that correctly.
Find the Quietest Corner of Your Home
Some people need a form of background noise to work, while others will find any noise quite disturbing, including a barking dog or the sound of children playing. If you’d prefer it to be quiet, then make sure your work area isn’t near a play space. Choose a room with a door if you can.
Declutter Your Desk
You shouldn’t have much on your desk. You may find sticky notes to be useful, but other items will detract from your productivity and affect your concentration, such as piles of paper, extra books and cups half full of coffee. Giving yourself the space to work will let you have space for you to also think.
Add Some Green
Bring some of the outdoors in: including a desk or floor plant will bring some variety for when you need a screen break. It will also add a breath of fresh air to your workspace. If you’re not sure whether you can keep your plant alive, go for something resilient such as a succulent or a small cactus. You could also move your desk so you can look outside. There are plenty of working from home tips available, so try a few and see which work best for you.
Get a Lamp
Having a desk lamp is the best substitute for natural light: not only will it add brightness around your workspace, but it also means you have a balanced light distribution for your eyes. Having your screens as the only source of light in a dark room may damage your eyes - so a lamp will add more illumination to your space to keep those eyes of yours healthy.
Keep a Bin Near or Under Your Desk
This means you can avoid having any trash on your desk. This will help you keep the space around you clean so you can work properly with no clutter surrounding you.
Set Up Your Computer
If you’ve got a desktop machine, then make sure it's set up in a neutral position so your hands, wrists and forearms are in a straight line. With a laptop, place it on a surface so the screen is straight ahead, and then add an external mouse and keyboard. This will help to stop you from bending over it all day, which may lead to neck ache.
Follow these tips and you’ll see how your productivity increases, and probably your health as well.
