5 Home office design tips for the remote worker

By One Kindesign September 7, 2014

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Home Office Design Tips-01-1 Kindesign

In today’s fast-paced world, it’s not difficult to imagine the appeal of working from home in a remote office. But certain issues arise from that dream, such as where in your home to locate the office, how to minimize distractions, and the ever so difficult task of staying motivated.

In this article, we’ll explore various options to maximize efficiency. You may be looking for a new job because your current employer frowns on working from home: Check job websites to see if home-working is mentioned before applying, it is not really a question you can ask if it is not mentioned.

Location, Location, Location

Your employer permits working from home, and you’ve obtained permission to do so. You are lucky because not every employer allows this; some tasks just cannot be done away from your colleagues. If you work in the construction industry you are unlikely to be allowed to work from home. The next step is to decide where to locate your home office. The obvious location would be in the basement, away from the rest of the house, right? Wrong. The best location would be one with windows that open, allowing some fresh outdoor air to come indoors.

Fifty shades of colors other than grey

Believe it or not, color plays a major role in productivity. According to Angela Wright, color expert, what type of work you’ll be doing should influence your palette choices. Blue is good for the mind, Red stimulates the body, Green promotes balance, and Yellow is good for emotional health. For example, if you do mind-work all day, Angela would probably recommend blue to keep you focused, with red accents to keep your energy level from dropping through the day. If you are a designer and you want to be creative, blue will not be the color for you. Yellow would be a better color since it stimulates your ego and spirits, making you more optimistic.

I can have exercise?

Just as important as the physical properties of the office itself, is how you comport yourself in it. The biggest killer of effectiveness is to allow your office to become more than an office. In a world where work is boring, and funny cat videos are only a few clicks away, it is exceptionally important to stay focused on work. Gloria M. Miele, Ph.D. suggests the biggest distraction in a home office is a television. Avoiding your favorite programs may seem an arduous task, but is the easiest way to avoid distractions. Regular breaks to walk around and exercise are also vital.

Socially antisocial?

The biggest drawback to working from home is one you wouldn’t expect: Lonliness. That’s right; as much as you may enjoy working from home, the social part of your brain still longs to be part of the team in the office, so the way around this is to get the best of both worlds into your office. A simple application called iDoneThis allows just that. IDoneThis tracks your progress and achievements, and sends that report to the office, so you can share with your team.

Balance is Key

Lastly, finding balance to your home/home office is essential. Letting other members of your household know your office is off limits is a good first step. You need to always remember that working from home is a bit of a misnomer. You’re not working from home, you’re working from your office, which just so happens to be inside your home. As long as you keep this in mind, you’re on the path to success. But there is a flip side to this as well; remember that you are at home. It is recommended that you allow yourself a short break every couple hours to relax, and keep your mind sharp.