7 Productive Home Office Tips for Remote Workers: Infographic

Working from home, just like working in an office, comes with distractions and potential productivity blockers. For those looking to make the most of their remote work experience, here are some tips to create a productive home office that will increase focus, creativity, and ultimately, productivity levels.

Having an office where you feel comfortable, successful, and productive is an important part of being the best professional you. Luckily, when working from home, you can create the environment and atmosphere where you work most efficiently and effectively rather than being hindered by uninviting spaces. In a recent MADE infographic, home office topics specific to productivity and office atmospheres were examined, and are summarized below.

Here are seven tips to create a productive home office:

Create an efficient environment.

You might be surprised to learn that your environment can support or hinder your work productivity. From lighting to noise, sensory aspects of your working environment are important to consider when creating a productive home office.

Lighting: Softer, more dim lighting can help in creating a more productive atmosphere. Natural light can also be stimulating. Consider ditching the harsh lighting and opt for softer bulb choices and the addition of a desk lamp.
Color: Blue, red, and green have been shown to improve creative performance tasks, enhance brain performance, give you confidence, and remove creative blocks.
Music: A little noise is optimal, so keep the music use at a moderate level. For some people, however, music isn’t good noise to have in the background. Other options include talk radio, white noise such as a fan, or an app called Focus@Will.
Temperature: Recently, the debate over cold office spaces made the news. Come to find out, the temperature can affect productivity. By using warmer temps, workers can reduce errors and increase keying output.

Select productivity-inducing furnishings.

Part of having a home office is creating a space that is both inviting and comfortable. Furniture selection plays into this in a great way. Consider the following when choosing your home office furnishings:

Greenery: Including a few living plants can greatly improve your indoor office environment. Plants can aid with reducing stress, restoring attention, preventing fatigue, and removing pollutants.
Curves: Furniture with softer edges and curves help create positive and peaceful feelings.
Clutter: While nobody would suggest working in an environment overrun with papers, having a little clutter can help boost creativity. A few bits of clutter here and there can help to create inspiration.

As you set up your home office or revamp your current one, keep these tips in mind to develop your own oasis and a productive home office. Not only do you want to create an inviting environment that you look forward to being in, but you also want to create a space that will increase your productivity, focus, and creativity.