734-890-5886
734-890-5886

Working from Home- Staying Productive During a Global Pandemic

Work From Home Tips | Kingdom Construction | Plymouth MI - Picture1

With the new social distancing guidelines in place, many people are finding themselves working from home amid this seemingly endless pandemic. Zoom has been ruling the quarantined business world, replacing traditional meetings with a safer, more convenient option that limits face-to-face contact. For many, the idea of ditching business suits for sweatpants and replacing that uncomfortable office chair with the living room couch sounds quite appealing. Quarantine isn’t starting to sound so bad after all.

 Unfortunately, while the comfort and convenience has been nice, there is one problem with this Zoom-filled normal. The reality is productivity has seriously been lacking in most companies with large amounts of their employees working remotely. The environment you work in seriously contributes to your productivity, which unfortunately means working from your living room isn’t a great long-term solution. You need a dedicated workspace that will keep you productive, and we have the tips to help you create it! Read on to find out what we recommend to keep you productive during these trying times.

 

Tip #1: Utilize Your Space…

While you may not have a dedicated room for your office, there are many creative ways to use space in your house to create a work area. You will want a space big enough for your desk, office chairs, and files with plenty of lighting and outlets. I have seen some creative ideas, including offices underneath stairwells and desks built into a shelving unit. Guest bedrooms also double as home offices quite effectively. Just remember to stay creative and be open to ideas!

Tip #2: …or Create a New Space!

Alternatively, instead of re-purposing space inside your home, you can create a completely new, custom space for your home office. This could be an addition to your home, a new stand-alone building, or simply adding a few walls and a door to designate an area specifically for your work. Designing a custom area just for you can break up the monotony of your quarantine routine. Take advantage of the free time quarantine has created and start your design process!

Tip #3: Lighting Is Crucial

Dim lights are the last thing you want in your home office. These lights bring down your mood, make you feel tired, and cause a lack of motivation. Bright, clean lighting is refreshing, energizing, and keeps your mood uplifted while you work. To implement this, you may want to consider adding an interesting new light fixture to spruce up your space. I personally incorporate a light therapy lamp on my desk which helps mimic sunlight without the harmful UV rays. This also helps boost your energy and mood throughout the day.

Tip #4: Keep your Desk Clean

A cluttered desk makes focusing incredibly difficult, especially when you find yourself spending 20 minutes looking for a file. Invest in beautiful, functional storage items that are not only purposeful, but also add to the design of your home. Gone are the days of clunky metal filing cabinets—trade these in for sleek open shelving or wood cabinets with a modern flare.

Tip #5: Have Fun with Color

Paint your office a color that invigorates and inspires you. Stay away from overdone, bland colors like beige and opt for something that speaks to you. For the person afraid of vibrant color, blues and light greens are great options to accent your décor. If you are feeling more adventurous, try bright colors like orange or yellow. Remember that certain colors have been proven to affect your mood, so keep this in mind when selecting one! If you still feel uncertain about color selections, one of our in-house designers would be happy to help you create your ideal office space.

Tip #6: Choose Décor Wisely

While I stated earlier in this article that being too comfortable inhibits productivity, you should create an office space comfortable enough that it feels inviting. If you are going to spend 40+ hours a week somewhere, you might as well enjoy it! Ensure the décor you choose echoes this concept by picking items that make you feel more at home. Consider decorative bulletin boards, fashionable lamps, decorative pencil holders and other similar items to add to your work-from-home space.

Tip #7: An Office Chair with Style (and comfort, of course)

Remember that uncomfortable office chair I mentioned earlier? Besides it being uncomfortable, it’s m probably not exactly “stylish” either. Believe it or not, it doesn’t have to be this way! Possibly the most important piece of any office is the chair you spend all day in. Many office chairs are admittedly uncomfortable, so spending a little bit more money on a supportive, well-designed chair is worth every penny. That being said, you do not have to trade fashion for function. There are many modern, sleek looking chairs designed with comfort in mind. Do your research, and budget some extra money for this one.

Tip #8: Eliminate Wires

It would be pointless to put in the work to remodel/create an ideal home office just for it to look cluttered and messy because wires are trailing everywhere. To combat this, consider switching all the appliances you can to a wireless version. There are wonderful wireless routers, printers, and computer mice in the market. Trading your old appliances for their wireless equivalents can cut the wire mess under your desk in half! For the wires you do have, consider adding a grommet in your desk to feed them through and utilize cord tamers to bundle them together.

 

Incorporating these tips will ensure you design the most ideal home office for you, custom-tailored to your unique needs. When you are ready to begin your work-from-home space, our team at Kingdom Construction & Remodeling will be happy to help!

On behalf of our team, Kingdom Construction wishes everyone and their families health and safety during these unprecedented times and we thank you for your continued support.

 

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