The New Home Office

Like many people in this surreal time, I am working from home almost exclusively.  Fortunately, I already had a dedicated, functional home office set up.  For those of you that started the stay at home order thinking this would only be for a few weeks…we find ourselves in a new reality that will mean lots of people not going back to the office for months or longer.  Here are a few tips for keeping your sanity and  your professionalism intact:

Let’s assume you have a room that is not being used for sleeping, eating or watching TV.   A guest room, basement space, loft or other flexible room is ideal. 

Shiloh loves when I work from home!

Set up your desk facing the door if possible.  It’s good feng shui and will allow you to cut off at the pass any kids or dogs that threaten to bomb your zoom meeting.

 
Position your desk near a window if you can. Natural light boosts your mood and increases productivity.

Avoid clutter and any household distractions.  You don’t want to see your clean laundry in need of folding, your bills, or other reminder of things you could be doing besides working.   If you’ve  always gone to an office, you are new to the siren call of snacks and chores.   There are endless ways to procrastinate so minimize your temptation.

Consider the backdrop if you will be using video conferencing.   Make sure the view behind you isn’t distracting  or too personal.  Bookcases, large scale art, or shelves with simple, organized accessories look great on video conferencing platforms.   Check out the Twitter account @BCredibility for some funny examples of what not to do.

You don’t need a lot of space.  A desk, a comfortable chair, your laptop, possibly a printer will do it.  You do need quiet, though.  And maybe you need to BE quiet!  I’m a loud talker when I’m on the phone, so setting up near a baby’s room, or your spouse’s office space might be tricky.

Make it pretty!  You will be spending a lot of time in your home office for the foreseeable future.  Let it be a beautiful place you feel good in.

This is where the magic happens :)

Check back for more design tips and ideas coming soon!

Stay safe!