According to a study led by Stanford Graduate School of Business professor Nicholas Bloom, working from homes leads to significantly higher productivity. In fact, his research found the boost was so dramatic it equaled to a full day’s work.
Of course, designing the right home office can make a difference in how much more productive one can be as well, whether you’re a telecommuting employee or running your own business from home – following these tips can help you seriously max your productivity.
Make It an Enjoyable Work Space
Designing a productive home office means creating a space that’s enjoyable to be in. Adding a plant or two not only helps to provide visual variety when your eyes need a break from the computer screen, but it’s been found in studies to enhance productivity. If you don’t have a green thumb, try to arrange your desk so that it faces the outdoors.
Make your office more attractive by adding décor that gives it your own special personal touch. You don’t have to spend a lot of money, giant area rugs for cheap can be found online and come in all sorts of styles, colors and patterns. Hang up sports memorabilia, photographs, and the like too, anything that makes you happy without being too distracting can help make you more productive too.
Invest in a Comfortable Chair
You’re probably going to be doing a lot of sitting, which means investing in a good, comfortable chair can make a big difference in your comfort and productivity levels. With lumbar and pelvic support, you’ll naturally have better breathing, better posture and less fatigue. Choose a chair that effectively supports your back. Your desk should also be sitting at the appropriate height for your neck and arms when you’re working.
Get the Right Tools
Not only is your chair and desk important, but you need to think about all the tools necessary for doing your job and being the most productive as you can such as a computer, software printer/scanner, ink cartridges, and items that can help keep all your supplies organized so you won’t waste time looking for them.
Eliminate Clutter and Distractions
While post-it notes can be helpful, stacks of papers, mail, books and other items that clutter up your desk can significantly detract from productivity. You desk doesn’t have to be empty, but limit items to only what you really need. The more space you have to work, the more space you have to think.
There can be other distractions as well – like a television within your view that can make it difficult to focus on work. Try to position your work space so that you’re not constantly trying to redirect your attention to the task at hand.