Designing a Remote Work Office

With home offices becoming increasingly popular in recent years, it has become more than just a trend. People love working remotely because it gives them flexibility and freedom. Most importantly, it saves them money. However, many people who work from home struggle with finding a place where they feel comfortable and productive.

Those who struggle can improve their remote office design to help increase their productivity. This means building an area that feels like a home within the home. Let’s talk about how you can design a perfect remote workplace.

Freshen up your work color palette

It’s easy to forget to add color to a home office space but the significance of it is unmatched. Adding paint to your walls gives your office a fresh feel. Adding colors to your office can boost your mood and improve your day. As a result, painting your walls can lower anxiety, stress, boredom, and many other things. This will leave you feeling more comfortable and focused for a longer time.

Your office should be a place where you enjoy being. It should also be a place where you’re productive and inspired. There’s no reason to sacrifice style and comfort if you work remotely. 

Apart from saving commuting time, one of the best things about working remotely is that you are not at the mercy of your corporate office designer. How you decorate your home office is entirely up to you. However, making your remote workspace productivity-friendly is more than painting your home office walls your favorite colors.

If you are looking for ways to paint your work environment, identify what your work needs are and paint accordingly. For example: 

• Consider painting your room a bold color if you want to feel creative.
• If you prefer a neutral palette, paint the wall a bright color like yellow or orange. 
• If you’re looking to feel more positive and engaged, consider painting the room blue. 
• If you want to feel more relaxed and calm while working, paint your room bright green or less saturated colors. 

A bonus to painting your walls is that it increases the value of your home and builds character. This may seem overwhelming and expensive at first, but there are many ways to get this done effortlessly and efficiently. Nowadays, many people find painters through an app. Contractors use design apps like HouzzPro, to find new customers, streamline the repair process, provide estimates, and deliver project updates. This is a perfect option for working moms.

Level up your lighting

Lighting plays a huge role in productivity and happiness. For example, poor lighting conditions can lead to headaches, eyestrain, and fatigue. Similarly, using too bright of lights can lead to the same issues.

This prevents us from concentrating on work. As a result, our work may not meet our standards. This is especially true for remote workers who spend hours at a desk every day.

That is why it is crucial to incorporate good lighting. Here are several ways:

1. Invest in lamps and other accessories that emit cool white light. These bulbs produce less heat and brighten the area. 
2. Install ambient lighting. Ambient lighting provides soft illumination that doesn’t compete with computer screens.
3. Incorporate blue-light. Blue light stimulates the brain and improves alertness and performance.

A critical element of proper lighting is allowing natural light. Natural lighting is essential to having a healthy work environment. For most of us, working from home means working indoors. This means that we are getting very little natural light. However, this is one of the most vital types of lighting we need. 

People often refrain from allowing natural light because they’re afraid of glare, this creates a gloomy atmosphere. To avoid this problem, allow natural light into your office. Sunlight helps reduce stress and increases productivity. Also, consider installing skylights or windows.

Temperature control

Though the lighting is essential in creating an efficient work environment, so is the temperature. Temperature affects the way we work and how we interact with people. Most office workers spend between 40% and 50% of their workday indoors. That’s why temperature control is critical. 

For example, an overly warm room makes you sleepy and less productive. An excessively cold room will have you jittery and focused on how to warm up. In addition, research indicates that an excessively cold room can lead to more typing errors. Set the temperature around 72-75 degrees Fahrenheit to create an ideal productivity zone.

Having programmable thermostats for your remote office has many advantages. Here are three reasons why you need one if you work from home. 

1. You’re more productive: Proper temperature control indicated output increased 150 percent when the office temperature rose from 68 degrees to 77 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. You save money: An energy audit conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy found that people living in homes with programmable thermostats saved $120 per year compared to those without.
3. Your family is healthier: Temperature affects your mental and physical health. When you set the right temperature, people find increased energy levels, comfort, and overall happiness.

Keep the area clutter-free

It gets challenging to remove clutter and distractions when working remotely. However, cleaning the area to focus on getting things done is a productivity hack that you need to incorporate.

To keep your remote work office clutter-free, store everything in designated areas. Keep your desk clear of unnecessary items, such as piles of papers, magazines, books, and knickknacks. This helps keep the day free of distractions. You’ll also feel relaxed knowing you’ve got a clean and organized environment.

Maintaining this level of organization allows you to put your best foot forward and get in the mood to work every day. 

One of the best things about creating your own remote office is choosing what you want to include. This means cozy furniture, artwork, or other things that mean a lot to you. However, it is vital to remember that you need to be professional. Having things from around the house in your workspace is not an excellent way to maintain a positive area. 

When things like your favorite blankets, gadgets, your children’s toys, or other items fill up your office, you are closing the gap between balancing a professional and personal life. When one aspect of your life seeps into the other, it is hard to keep the distractions out. Therefore, it is essential to know when to work and unplug. This will also help you, your family, friends, and colleagues have a healthy relationship. 

Bring nature into the workplace.

Adding plants to your office helps create a soothing environment that encourages productivity. A study conducted at Stanford University found that workers who had access to greenery were more productive than those who didn’t. Nature makes people happier, calmer, and more creative.

Plants add beauty to a remote work office and help create a positive atmosphere. They’re not just pretty; they help reduce stress, boost productivity and increase creativity. Bringing plants into your remote office space will put you in a better mood and give your office a modern look. 

Many people add plants to their remote offices because it is therapeutic to take care of the plant and escape work stressors for a brief moment. 

Final thoughts

Work has changed dramatically in recent years. More people are working remotely and want to improve their home office design.If you are looking to design a positive remote workspace, add paint to office to reduce stress and anxiety, use blue light to create an environment that keeps you alert, keep the temperature around in the low 70’s, remove clutter, and add plants to create a soothing environment that encourages productivity.

Conclusion

In conclusion, when remote work is the new way of life, creating an ideal remote workspace should be at the top of your list. It is essential to know ways to make a remote work environment productive. 

Including elements that make you happy and less stressed is key. These elements come as paint, proper lighting, and temperature, making the space clutter-free and bringing in more nature. By changing your environment, you set yourself up for success and endless productivity. 

 

This post was written by my guest, Pranay Velichety, an experienced content writer. He is passionate about helping people understand design, architecture, and home improvement. Pranay finds value in sharing new ideas, concepts, and experiences with people. In his spare time, he loves to go on hikes and explore the mountains in Arizona.