Since the past few months due to second wave of Covid-19, most of us have been working remotely from the confines of our homes, which means that the designated spaces and rooms are being utilized for various other purposes. For many, their bedroom is also their workstation, while for others, their living room is also their gym. With WFH becoming a reality, it is important that we make modifications for the best utilization of the available space.
Location, Location, Location
Even if you are starved for space, you can create a decent workstation at home by moving things around.
The first step is to always declutter and move bigger pieces of furniture out of the way to create an empty pocket.
One of the options is to use your living room. This way, your space for sleeping doesn’t get confused with your working space. If you are using your bedroom as a study during the day, make sure that your workspace receives daylight, and not your bed. Move the furniture around to make this change. One can also use the dining table as a work desk as long as it is cleared when it’s time to eat. Using a tray is suggested to gather your books, laptops, stationery when not working to make the transition easy.
Correct Ergonomics
Your space needs a desk or table that is at work height. The industry standard is 73 cms from the floor to the top of the work surface. Tall people do better with a higher height, and short people do better with a lower height. Many desks and tables have adjustable height, usually through their feet.
You know your work surface is at the correct height if, when you sit up straight, your forearms are parallel to the ground and your wrist is not bent up or down when you type or mouse. The top surface of your wrist should essentially be on the same plane as the top of your forearm, with your fingers dangling slightly down to the keyboard.
Invest in a good chair. Chairs are yet another vital piece of furniture in a home office. The chair should have all the desired necessities, especially lumbar support. Also, it is always better to get revolving chairs with adjustable height features for ease of mobility and comfort. An average chair height is around 41 cm to 16.5 inches. The ideal height nowadays for chairs is 45-48 cms from the ground.
Bring In Nature
Keep the shades open and, if you can, let in fresh air. Put plants in your home office – research shows that having live plants in your office makes you more productive, happier and less stressed. Bring nature indoors with botanical prints and greenery. Real or framed, plants add an organic and peaceful feel to any workspace. If you can’t see anything natural out of your window, keep pictures of the natural world as your screensaver and/or desktop wallpaper.
Chalkboard/Whiteboard Paint Is Your Friend
If space allows, you can create a really inspiring full wall white board or chalkboard in your home office space with paint. Take a cue from this space and create a monthly calendar on your wall, keep a giant, ongoing to-do list, tape inspirational images or goals up. What keeps you going at the end of a long day? Put that answer front-and-center with a unique and photo display rack.
Reuse, Repurpose And Get Organized
The first step to better productivity? Organization. Clear your clutter and store essentials in file containers, storage organizers, sliding bins, and more. You can always look into your kitchen for some items to reuse for your storage needs.
Try the above tips and let us know how it worked for you. Share your Work from Home hacks with us if you have discovered any !
Comments