Design Your Workspace

Working at home can be so liberating. You’re free to setup your work station anywhere you want—the couch, kitchen, porch, bedroom, or even in the bathroom if you want. But sometimes, having too much freedom can be a bad thing; you’ll find yourself constantly distracted by littlest of things, and as a result, you suffer from diminishing productivity.  And if you want to prevent this, or if you already are seeing the scary signs of low productivity, then it’s time that you set up an actual dedicated workspace.

Plan your workspace:

First thing you need to do is to scan the entirety of your home and look for a spot that you feel will be most ideal for your goal. You need to factor in the following:

• The space should be enough to accommodate the possible pieces of furniture that you’ll need. Make a quick estimate of the measurements for each furniture you want to use. It’s best if you use a measuring tape so you can get accurate sizes. 
• Get a piece of paper and try to visualize how you want the space to look. You don’t need to be a designer or an architect, so don’t worry about it. Have fun visualizing. You can either draw the furniture or just have them represented in boxes. Squares and rectangles will actually do great. Even if the items do not occupy the exact space, then that will mean you’ll have a little wiggle room when you put them in place later on.
• Power outlet location is a priority. You’ll need to make sure the spot you pick is accessible to at least 2 wall sockets. This will ensure you have a good spot to run your electronic cables without creating an obstruction that can likewise become a safety hazard.
• Identify the items you need in your workspace. Start with the essentials such as table, chair, lamp, maybe a drawer or a small shelf. 
• Figure out if you want to be near a window, or if you want to use a corner space, or if you’re ok to have none of those and any space would do.

How to get started:

Don’t just go willy-nilly on your soon-to-be workspace. It might seem like it’s just going to be a simple task, but if you don’t do this right, you’ll end up constantly adjusting your things around the space and end up having clutter. Not only will this take more of your time, but it will also result in less productivity because your supposedly work-inspiring space is causing you more distractions than peace. 

• Empty out the space as best as you can. It would be ideal if you can turn it into an actual blank space. This will enable you to easily place your furniture where you plan to have them. 
• Once your space has been cleared, take the opportunity to clean it out and maybe even put in an area rug.
• Start with the biggest piece of furniture you need in your workspace. A good and sturdy table that has enough desk space for your needs will do great. Note that your chair will be the last thing you’ll move in this space.
• When you have all the furniture in, move to filling your desk space with the essentials. Just the bare necessities such as your computer, notepads, and a couple of pens. Dedicate a space where you’ll place your coffee cup or bottled water. 
• Make sure your space is well lit, but to be safe, a nice lamp will do great to 
• Finally, install all your electric cables and run them behind the table. That way, they will be out of the way and properly organized.

Now, take a step back and take a good look at your work so far. We’re not quite done yet, so make a good assessment if anything is missing or if there’s something there that you can do without. Make your adjustments accordingly and take a seat. This time, you’ll be assessing your workspace from your actual chair. Simulate your work and imagine what other tasks you’ll do in that space. Figure out if you need more things on the table, and if you do, it might be best if you just have a side table or small shelf to hold all the things you’ll need. 

To make your space more conducive to productivity, it wouldn’t hurt to add a few personal items on the table or mounted on the wall such as a piece of art or a nice photo. You can also have a small plant near or on your table, not only will this give your space a bit more energy, it will make your air quality a lot better.

If you haven’t quite picked out your workspace furniture yet, maybe take this opportunity to explore ergonomic furniture. It might be a little pricey, but it will do you a lot of good in the long run. Ergonomic tables and chairs will give you a lot of benefits such as good blood circulation, posture correction and maintenance, and even lift your mood and increase productivity. Regular tables not designed for ergonomics will not only deprive you of these benefits, but they can also cause unnecessary pain, encourage development of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, anxiety, depression, an irreparable hunch, and low productivity. 

Designing your workspace can be both a fun and rewarding activity to do. You can do whatever you want, however you want it done, and even design it in a way that will best reflect your character. Not only will this project give you the workspace you need (or have dreamt of), but it will also boost your morale because you know you’ll be using a space you personally created. So don’t be afraid to put in a touch of character and personal style in the mix. Adding a splash of color here and there can make all the difference as opposed to just keeping it in plain white or beige.