DIY Tips for Creating a Zen Home Office

 

Who wouldn’t want a zen space to work from home in?

Here are some DIY tips for creating a peaceful and professional home office.

If you work from home, you know the struggle of balancing your professional and personal life under the same roof.

Why not create a quiet, work-focused space for yourself so that household obligations and your career stay separate?

Within the workspace itself, a clear, clutter-free zone can influence your productivity without your realising.

Mess and disorganisation may signal your brain that you’re in an unsafe environment, causing you to stay alert to your space rather than the work in front of you.

Not only does this detract from your work, but it can also trigger hormonal changes that impact your health, stress levels and, in turn, sleep quality.

While it’s all a physiological response that you can’t control, you can make changes to ensure that your workspace is an easy place to be efficient.

Here are some simple steps you can take to create a zen home office.

Give everything a home

Everything in your office or workspace should have its own dedicated spot.

If you can’t find a space for it, you should evaluate whether or not you need it.

This way, your office is neat and clear of clutter.

You also avoid the stress of finding a place to put things once you are done using them, triggering a messy cycle when you can’t find one.

If you know exactly where everything belongs, you’re much more likely to put everything away.

Remember that less is more

Speaking of clearing the clutter, keep in mind that a clean workspace provides balance and positive energy. While you want the space to be visually pleasing, too many decorative items can become distracting and undermined your focus. Make your office space about getting the job done by prioritising efficiency. Clean out the excess by:

• Keeping as many surfaces clear as possible (especially our desk);
• Ensuring your most-used items are easy to access;
• Keeping rarely used items out of sight;
• Hiring an electrician to come and run your computer cables through the wall, tidying the cable mess currently on your desk; and
• Doing a weekly sweep for any items that have made it into your workspace but don’t belong.

 

 

Give yourself a relaxing view

Your eyes need a break from work now and then, especially if your work takes place on a computer.

When you look up from time to time, give yourself something pleasing to look at.

If you can, place your desk near a window to give yourself visual access to nature.

If you can’t, find a picture, painting or ornament that brings you joy and place it in your line of vision.

Add a plant to ground your space in nature

Indoor plants improve the energy of any space so long as they are well taken care of.

They add a connection to nature that can enormously impact your mood and well-being, particularly on fine days where you are stuck inside.

Some varieties improve the air quality of indoor spaces and have been shown to boost productivity levels.

Just be sure to choose a plant that will thrive in the conditions of your office, such as sunlight exposure and ventilation.

Nothing could be less zen than a sickly plant, so make sure you choose wisely.

Choose calming colours

Colour can dramatically impact the feel of a room, which in turn affects your mood and productivity.

While small pops of bright colour can provide a welcome visual focus, stick with warm, earthy tones for your overall scheme.

You could choose from a range of muted tones of blue, green, beige or grey.

Overwhelming amounts of reds, bright yellows and oranges can invoke feelings of stress and anxiety, so keep those colours to a minimum.

Cut out the noise

Auditory distractions pull focus and positive energy from the room, creating an unproductive working environment.

While it can be challenging to cut the noise out of a home office when there are neighbours, traffic and your own family to contend with, there are some practical ways of blocking sound that may be a benefit to you.

Potential solutions include:

• Having a solid timber door installed to replace your hollow-core door;
• Sealing the bottom of your door to block outside noise from slipping in;
• Sealing any gaps around ducts, windows, and outlets; or
• Adding rugs and wall hangings to deaden the sound waves bouncing off your hard tile or wood floors.

Prioritise your comfort

Your physical comfort is essential when working from home, and nothing plays a more prominent role in your comfort than your chair, desk and computer setup. You can create a comfortable workspace that can support your joint health for hours at a time by:

• Choosing a chair that supports your spine’s natural curves and adjust it so that your thighs are “parallel” with the floor.
• Placing your monitor about an arm’s length in front of you, with the top of the screen at or just below eye level.
• Ensuring your keyboard and mouse are at the same level and that your hands are at or slightly below the level of your wrists.
• Picking a desk that gives you enough space to sit comfortably.

Keep natural light comfortable

While natural light is wonderful for creating a zen space in which you can work productively and efficiently, you won’t be productive if you constantly have to battle the sun.

But you don’t need to work in the dark, even in times when the sun is in your eyes or reflecting off your computer screen.

Have blinds installed that allows you to filter light without blocking it entirely, such as Venetian blinds or sheer curtains.

A cluttered and unthought-out workspace will inevitably inhibit your ability to work productively for long periods of time.

By taking the zen approach to design, your home office will soon be a centre for calm, productivity and happiness.

Jim’s Group can provide practical help in transforming your office space, from painting to electrical services.

If you would like a quote on any of the services listed above, call Jim’s Group today on 13 15 46.

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