Wednesday, January 16, 2019

By John Voket Many Americans work from home part- or full-time, or snag a few hours to tie up loose ends in the evenings or on weekends. If this sounds like you, here are a few hints to help make your home office more inspiring.

While the team at architecturelab.net says that it's essential to design your workspace with productivity as a priority, the trick is finding the balance between keeping your surroundings informal, yet productive. A minimalist design ensures everything is efficiently organized, which will help you take advantage of working from home—without compromising productivity.

Hannah Becker at themotivatedmillennial.com explains that poor lighting and an overall depressing interior can drain energies and dampen productivity. To design an inspirational home workspace, consider:

Two light sources. Utilize both artificial and natural lighting sources for your workstation. Don’t let some blinking iridescent bulb be your primary source. Instead, place your desk by a big window and open the blinds to let the natural light in.

Wall display. Experts agree that staring at the computer screen continuously will make your eyes tired and can even cause maladies such as headaches. Break up the screen monotony by glancing away at aesthetically pleasing art or personal pictures. Some psychologists even recommend looking at something green to encourage creativity throughout the day.

Bring the outside in. Bringing outdoor elements like sunlight and green plants into your home office space can help improve your quality of health. Plants improve air circulation and help make the office look a little more “natural” and relaxing.

Dust off. According to Jason Yang at apartmenttherapy.com, if you're noticing floating dust particles in the glow of your monitor, it's time to start shopping for an air purifier. Depending on the size of the room, this will cost you anywhere from $80 to $500, plus the cost of replacement filters.

If you're looking to bring some inspiration to your home workspace, don't forget about the importance of good ventilation. According to the folks at architecturelab.net, the free flow of air makes you feel fresh, rejuvenated and more creative.

You can ensure clean flowing air through cross ventilation by locating your workspace between windows at opposing sides of the room. Then, crack open the windows for a fresh blast of air.

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