15 Home Office Decor Tips To Boost Your Productivity

People either love remote jobs or hate them. There is usually no mid-term for this type of job. Some people enjoy waking up and preparing their breakfast or taking a cup of coffee on the balcony while checking their emails or starting their shift. Some other people just can’t do it that way. It kills their productivity if they are allowed too much freedom and flexibility. Many people can’t stay focused and disciplined since the monitoring for remote workers is usually more relaxed which gives them options to do other stuff while at work. However, some people don’t have a choice since some of the jobs have become fully or partially remote in the pandemic. In that case, one has to adapt. Let’s see how home decor can contribute to boosting your productivity in cases like that.

Adjust your office layout

Something as simple as the room layout can mean a lot for the overall feeling you have when you spend your time in that room and thus, for productivity as well. Make sure your office desk is situated next to the window since natural light is one of the best ways to enhance your mood and boost your productivity. If the light is too bright, just adjust the shades or use some translucent curtains. Different room layout implies only rearranging your existing furniture in the best possible way, so it doesn’t bring any additional cost.

Use colors to be more awake

Colors are very important for your overall mood and they have been widely used by decorators. Color psychology has been widely used in the business world. Our brain connects certain colors with certain moods, so very bright colors such as red and orange are considered very stimulating ones, while some more gentle shades like blue are considered relaxing.  This rule doesn’t apply to the famous blue light that is emitted from the monitors we use. You have probably heard that blue light can cause insomnia. This is because it reduces the production of melatonin, which is a hormone that regulates our sleep. Anyway, make sure blue light is used when working and not before sleeping. It can boost your energy and productivity, but you don’t want that at the wrong time. Brighter colors are a universally good option for office decoration, just don’t make them too bright because your eyes will be uneasy.

Pick adequate home office furniture

If you work on your laptop, you probably don’t care about the office furniture because anything can be part of your office furniture, your bed, your armchair, your lazy bag…However, if you prefer using a PC, you need a good chair and an adaptable desk to make them comfortable while sitting there the whole shift. So, an adjustable desk is a great option, or at least an adjustable chair. The chair should be especially comfortable because sitting for 8 hours can be very bad for your back and shoulders. Bad posture can bring some health issues, which you should try to avoid.

Let the light in

We mentioned the importance of colors, but light itself is crucial as well if you want to boost your energy and productivity. A dark environment will make you not so productive. It is natural to be prone to fall asleep if there is not much light. It’s our reaction to the lack of light. So, what can you do if the position of your room is not very favorable when it comes to light? You can use light furniture, paint your walls in light colors and add some other sources of light, such as a couple of lamps that will do the work.

Don’t forget home office decoration

To add some personal touch and to make your office a bit more enjoyable, there should be some subtle decoration. Now, you want to keep it professional, but a couple of framed photos to remind you of your loved ones or a nice coffee tray to make your coffee break more enjoyable. Home décor and office décor can overlap sometimes, so don’t hesitate to get something for your office that would otherwise be used for your living room. Although it is important to maintain a professional appearance in your office, it is no problem to add some light personal touch just to make it more homely.

Bring some office green plants

Just like you enjoy having a mini garden in your salon, you can enjoy having one in your office. It can be only one pot with a green plant, or it can be several smaller ones. Don’t exaggerate though, because the last thing you want to do is take care of the plants instead of working. Make it simple and easy to maintain. There are many green plants suitable for offices, so make sure you choose the adequate one. Your office will look more lively, the air will be purer and generally, all this can boost your productivity as well.

Organize your space well

Your organizational skills will be tested many times during remote working. Just like we mentioned in the introduction, some people can’t cope with so much freedom at their workplace, so they start doing some stuff that ends up distracting them. Having Netflix so close to your workplace or having the possibility to have friends over while working can be a huge temptation. Try to impose some self-discipline and stick to it. Other than that, you should also have shelves, decorative boxes, or any other objects that can help store things you won’t need right away. That way, you avoid having a mess in your office and avoid having to clean or declutter very often. When there is nothing that could bother you or distract you, your productivity will be at its best. Make sure all the papers you need are well arranged and at hand or stored neatly in the drawers. Don’t leave any mess after your shift is over because the next day will be waiting for you at the beginning of the new shift.

Make sure there is no mess

Talking about clutter, we reiterate that it is very important to maintain your working space impeccably neat. If your office looks like a teenager’s messy bedroom, you probably won’t feel like the ambiance is professional enough and encouraging to enhance your efforts. This might be difficult for people who generally lack space in their home or have kids who leave toys everywhere. This is why a good storage system is so important.

Adapt your workstation to your preferences

We mentioned that sitting can be uncomfortable when it is for the whole shift. If you don’t like sitting, you don’t have to. You can install some sort of a deck adjusted to your height and put your laptop or PC there, along with other stuff you need. A couple of wall shelves can come in very handy. This way, you can stand while working, and only sit when you want to take some rest.

Separate your office from the rest of the room

Some people are just more productive when they separate the private and the professional. This, again, can be difficult if you lack space in your home. However, a small trick might help you. If you use a curtain divider, you can visually separate the space you use for the office and the rest of the room. That way, you can isolate and focus on the work when you need to be productive.

Adjust the room temperature

There is a general opinion that warmth makes us sleepy. Heat can make people less productive and it can even affect the economy. Try to keep the room temperature not too warm, but not cold either. Make sure to adjust the temperature depending on the season. An air conditioner is very helpful in this. If you live in a place with a mild climate, you won’t have to think a lot about this, though.

Take care of the room scents

Scents can boost our energy and the overall good feeling we have when we are in a certain place. They make a powerful suggestion and our brain remembers scents very well. If you use pleasant scents in someplace, you will associate that place with something good. Some fresh scents are better for the office environment. Those are the scents of pine, mint, citrus scents, fruit, lavender, etc. Avoid scents that are too sweet or heavy unless you enjoy them. If you add some freshness to your office, you will be more energized, awake and productive as well.

Reduce the noise

Noise is one thing that distracts the majority of people. It can affect your concentration and make your work slowlier, thus affecting your productivity as well. If you live in a busy street, make sure that the part of your apartment where your office will be situated is not that close to the source of the noise. For example, in this case, it would be good not to have your desk right next to the window, unless you won’t open your window a lot. Think about this important factor when arranging everything in your home office.

Make some space for breaks

You’re not supposed to be working your entire shift. Just like you have some breaks when you work at the site, you need to have them in your home as well. Don’t make the mistake of working too much because you will end up exhausted and your long-term productivity might suffer. Relaxing for some 10 minutes periodically can be very good for your overall productivity, so make sure you have some parts of the furniture suitable for this, like a lazy bag or a comfortable chair.

Add some wall art

Although you should keep your home office professional and with not too many adorns, a little bit of wall art can’t do any harm. A couple of nice posters or paintings can make the space look more dynamic and bring some productivity-boosting mood. There are many motivational wall art ideas as well and some of them will probably be suitable for your office.

We hope some of these 15 tips will be helpful enough to make your remote job more pleasant and to enhance your productivity in the best way. Make sure you always feel comfortable, stay motivated and keep everything neat.