If You Have a Home Office, Read This....
Most of us modern day business owners and entrepreneurs have some sort of home office situation. However, often enough, these set-ups aren’t always the most encouraging or desirable when it comes to sitting down and being productive. There’s a subtle humor in having a workspace at home and never using it!
Surprisingly, only minor changes need be made to create a more inspiring workspace. Over time, small investments and adjustments have been made at Concept HQ and we've found it to have increased our productivity by milestones:
- Tech - Everyone's set-up is going to be different depending on the demands of your craft. Using HDMI cables and multi-port functions on your computer or laptop, a dual display can be essential for increased productivity. The added space can make all the difference. Use your dual display for more room to organize files, keep multiple windows and applications open, tether + edit, or even to watch a tutorial and follow on the other screen.
- A comfortable chair - this one might seem obvious, but finding the perfect chair is more complicated than it seems. Pay attention to how your body feels after sitting for long periods of time. Personally, we like to have a few seating options handy. Theres the low back chair with strong support for the lower back and the high, wingback chair that offers proper neck support. Don’t forget a foot rest or some sort of foot support. We use ottomans, which double as a seat and a storage supply.
- Adjust the height of the table-chair-floor ratio. Determine what your individual preferences are and design your set up around these choices. We’ve found success using a saw horse table leg design which allows us to change the height of our multipurpose table depending on the project.
- Don’t underestimate the power of a nearby standing bookcase - keep your desktop clear and clutter free. If you’re like us and crazy about notebooks, use a shelving unit for easy access and perfect organization.
- Candles are great - that's a given, but how about adding some aromatherapy into the mix? We like the Pure aromatherapy diffuser and experimenting with different oil combinations for increased productivity.
- In addition to a good work playlist, indulge in some wireless headphones to drown out noise and block other distractions - especially if your home office is in a shared space. A cordless function will keep you in the zone.
- Staying and remaining hydrated is sometimes the difference between an on and off day. We would recommend a portable electric kettle to instantly heat water.
- Multiple lighting options - We can't stress how essential altering the lighting set-up is for increased workflow. If you're lucky enough for your space to permit natural light, do take advantage. If not, take the necessary steps to bring as much natural light into the room. We recently switched out our window blinds for these amazing translucent window shades. Also, pay attention to how and where you place your lamps and consider which kinds of lightbulbs you prefer.
- Glass overlay - we found a sturdy heavy duty glass surface to top our wooden table. The space in-between the two surfaces is perfect for papers, notes, reminders and documents that need to stay visible, but also safe from damage.
- Extra large erase board - elevate your note taking to the next level. Whats better than a tangible white space to scribble, draw, write, doodle, ect...We installed two 3X4 dry erase boards to create a large 6x8 space for an accessible place to brainstorm right above our main desk.