Working from home sounds like the dream. It comes with it’s own set of problems and difficulties, but it seems that almost everyone aspires to someday work their dream job from home. There are a myriad of reasons for this, but when it comes down to it, the biggest reason is that everyone wants to be in business for themselves. Whether you currently own your own business, or you just so happen to work for a company that allows you to work from home, being able to work from home is a huge step in the direction towards comfort and ease.
It can be really hard to separate your home life from your work, though, when you live and work in the same space. A lot of people have found they’re more successful during the day if they have a dedicated work space in their home.
Why you should have a home office
Are you having a hard time setting aside an entire room of your house for work purposes? It may feel like a waste of space. If you’re feeling like this, it may help to know that if you DO have a dedicated work space in your home, you’re eligible for certain tax deductions. This is because your employer (or yourself) doesn’t have to pay for additional office space, which saves them money. This means you could get your mortgage lowered, or get a larger tax return come tax season. So although it may be hard to think about converting that guest room into an office, it may actually save you a considerable amount of money in the long run.
Having a separate room just for work purposes will help you stay productive during your work day. It’ll be a lot easier for you to go home for your lunch break, but you should still treat it as going to work for the day. Except at this office, you can work in your pajamas.
Why you should decorate your home office
If you thought having a dedicated home office was excessive, you probably think spending time to redecorate your new home office is also excessive. But creating a good environment is important for any aspect of your life. If you’re not comfortable in your work space, you won’t be able to work effectively. And you should make sure that your office is free of distractions.
If your spare room is currently being used in lieu of a storage unit, chances are you’ll have a hard time relaxing and working while sitting amidst piles of dusty boxes and bags of Halloween costumes. These items will need to find a new home.
Minimal style
For an office space, adopting a minimalistic design is probably a good idea. You don’t want to be easily distracted, which means no televisions or games.
Start with a sturdy desk and comfortable chair. This is the area you don’t want to skimp on. You’re going to be sitting at this desk, in this chair, every day for an extended period of time. Make sure that you love them and they’re going to last. It can be tempting to be cheap and not spend very much money on these pieces of office furniture, but you’ll end up needing to replace them much more often, which will lead to spending much more money than if you bought some quality pieces in the first place.
Some tips and ideas
Try and create a calm and productive environment. Give your walls a fresh coat of paint. The color blue stimulates the mind, yellow inspires creativity, and green creates calm. It may seem silly that a color has an effect on your productivity, but it really does! Pick up a few color swatches in one of these color families, and update your walls.
Consider bringing a small plant to your desk space. It will promote clean air, and keep the room from feeling stale and stodgy. It will also brighten up your office space.
Many people also like decorating their office with things that inspire them. Whether that’s a vision board, reminders of your accomplishments and goals, phrases of encouragement or focus, or even just something that makes you smile, keep a few things in your casual eye line that will keep you motivated and focused.
Don’t be afraid to spend as much time making your office space a comfortable place as you would your bedroom or living room. You want to feel inspired whenever you walk through the door.
