Designing an Optimal Home Office

Your home office makes a big difference on your overall productivity and work happiness. Having a great home office makes it easier to concentrate and will help you get more done in less time. Here are some of the many things you should keep in mind while you're designing your home office. 

==> The Space Itself

Your home office should be separated from the rest of your house and especially the rest of your bedroom. If you don't have a separate office space set aside, at least use curtains or other material to partition off the space.

When you step into your home office, it should feel like you're stepping into a workspace. It should not be an extension of your bedroom.

==> Designing Your Flow

Place all the tools you'll need within arm's length. In other words, your phone, your keyboard, your printer tray and your notepad should all be in reaching distance if those are tools you use regularly.

==> Measure Your Space

Before you buy any equipment, make sure you take a tape measure and measure everything out. The last thing you want is to buy office equipment only to discover that it doesn't fit.

==> Make Sure Your Cabinets Have Room to Open

This is one of the more common home office design mistakes people make. They remember to measure the cabinet's space, but forget to measure enough space for the cabinet to open out. You don't want your cabinet to hit anything else when it opens - including you or your chair.

==> Add Real Plants

Working in a home office all day can be quite stuffy. Research has shown that nature and real plants can help people concentrate and boost mood.

Add a real plant or two in your workspace to help lift your spirits.

==> Invest in a Quality Chair

Sitting in a low quality chair can result in back pain, aching shoulders and other kinds of body pains. If you're going to spend money on anything in your office, spend it on your chair. Get a quality chair that supports your spine and allows you to work for extended periods of time without undue pressure.

==> Lighting Is Important

You don't want to work in dim lighting. Having good lighting helps reduce strain on your eyes, promotes better mood and helps improve productivity.

The light in your office needs to appear diffused, so it can't just come from one source. Ideally you'll have three or four different lights that all contribute to an overall sense of having a well-lit room.

These are some of the many things that go into designing the optimal office. Your office space has a big impact on your overall workflow. The time you put into improving its design will pay off many times over.