Building The Perfect Home Office: Do's & Don'ts Answering the needs of the business, as well as matching design sensibilities of an individual.
By Umesh Rao
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The way we work is changing.
Whether it is corporates adopting a flexible work system or a new crop of millennial entrepreneurs, working from home does not raise eyebrows anymore. The concept led to the rise of home offices – a small cosy nook in the corner of the room, or a full study with ornate wood, workspace is slowly becoming an integral part of home design.
The comfort & flexibility that working from home allows, comes as a boon especially to new parents, ensuring they can maintain a healthy work-life balance. Also, mobility at workforce has propelled the popularity of home offices further.
Designing a working space at home nowadays is not limited to only selecting a work desk & chair, but creating an environment that boosts productivity. The perfect home office has to both answer the needs of the business, as well as match design sensibilities of the individual.
Keeping in mind this rise & rise of home offices, we enumerate some of the key do's and don'ts that an individual should keep in mind to build the perfect workspace:
The Perfect Space
If you have the luxury, it is advisable to dedicate an entire room to work, as it provides more privacy and helps concentrate better. It will also aide in minimising any other unwanted disturbance.If you have to share space with another room,make sure it is convenient & away from distractions like Television. Also, if your work is customer facing, ensure that space is ideal to accommodate visitors & clients.
The Perfect Furniture
Equipping the workplace with correct furniture that improves efficiency is one of the most important aspect to be considered.While personal preference and budget are definitely to be considered, make sure the furniture is multifunctional and ergonomic that could blend well with space.
Ergonomics is the science concerned with designing that allows people and things to interact efficiently and safely. Incorporating the same principle, ergonomic furniture not only increases productivity, but also has health benefits as it allows better posture & reduces stress.
In addition, investing in multipurpose furniture saves both space and cost by efficiently performing more than one functions. Investing in a compact workstation, that supports form and function both, can prove to be a worthy asset.Since we spend most of our time sitting, it is essential to ensure that we select furniture, especially chairs that have minimal health risks.
The Perfect Lighting
Lighting has an indirect effect on our productivity. Dim lights can often lead to lethargy whereas a very bright atmosphere may distract an individual from concentrating. Adjustable table lamps especially are a must for any home office, as replicating industrial lighting at home could be difficult. Also, a productive workspace should have ample natural light for optimum efficiency.
The Perfect Colour Palette
Colours play a vital role in setting the perfect mood, whether for leisure or work.Muted shades such as grey, beige and brown when used independently, may produce feelings of depression or dullness, but when mixed with bright and vibrant colours, can help reinvent any gloomy space.
Vibrant Colours could be introduced to your work space via wall paint, quirky furniture or accessories. A statement piece of furniture with bold colours or a colourful mix of quirky desk accessories can elevate any workspace. A lively work area can even help boost energy levels and make work interesting.
Storage, Storage & More Storage
One of the most overlooked aspect while designing home offices is storage. We tend to easily forget that while most of our work nowadays is digital, we still end up with a lot of documentation that needs to be stored for later reference and use. Organised documents help accomplish any activity with minimum wastage of time. Finding the right shelves, filing cabinets, drawers etc. should be given the same time as your word desk & chair.
The desired outcome of encouraging trends like working from home is to cultivate an environment which is flexible and efficient.However, if care is not taken to create the perfect working environment, the actual reality can be far from idyllic and may lead to frustration on both ends – the employee & employer.
While the factors that decide whether working from home is productive are multifold, a well-designed home office can go a long way in motivating an individual to take the big plunge.
