With Covid forcing many employees to work from home, I thought now would be a great time to talk about how to create a home office that will keep you productive. Welcome Matt Lee to the DHH blog who shares his tips below.

Some people really enjoy working from home. For others, it’s a nightmare. Like most things in life, working from your home office comes with its own set of advantages and disadvantages. On the one hand, you get to avoid morning traffic and work from your pajamas. On the other hand, it’s extremely easy to get distracted.

Whether you work from your home office full-time, temporarily, or occasionally, knowing how to boost your productivity in your home office is a critical skill to have. While a lot of productivity has to do with personal accountability, there’s a lot you can do with your home office’s design to help you stay focused and on track.

So, how can you increase your productivity with design? Here are four simple ways to improve productivity while working from your home office.

#1 Eliminate Distractions

Ask most people who work from their home office what the biggest challenge is, and they’ll likely tell you it’s the distractions. From spouses and children to needy pets and Netflix, there’s no shortage of distractions in your home’s office. To remain productive despite those distractions, you have to design your office to cut out some of that noise.

A great way to do that is with something like glass walls or moveable room panels. Both solutions ensure that your home office is separate from the rest of the house so that you can stay on track. The great thing about something like glass, is that you can remain isolated but also still feel like you’re a part of the home. This can be helpful if you have young children or pets who have separation anxiety.

#2 Get Rid of Clutter

There’s a reason that Marie Kondo and Minimalism took the nation by storm. Clutter induces stress, and no one can focus while they’re stressed. If you have stacks of paper and junk piled up on your desk, you’ll never be able to engage top-tier productivity.

So, be sure to get rid of everything you don’t need and have plenty of storage space for the things that you do. Consider going with solid surface countertops instead of a desk so that you can easily keep things clean. The stark white color of Corian inspires an industrial, sterile feeling that can prevent you from developing lousy cleaning habits in your home office.

Ultimately, get rid of anything you don’t need and have a system in place for keeping things tidy, and you’ll notice a distinct improvement in your focus.

#3 Think About the Acoustics

Another struggle with the home office atmosphere is mastering the acoustics. Whether you’re on a call, in a Zoom meeting, or trying to close a deal with a client, bad acoustics can have disastrous effects. Plus, your neighborhood noises might not promote productivity.

Barking dogs, children playing, construction, the noise of cars driving by, and unexpected solicitors showing up at your door are all unnecessary distractions that keep you away from your work. Put some thought into soundproofing and office acoustics to capitalize on your productivity.

Bulky furniture, extra insulation in your office walls, louvers, and complete acoustic system are all home office design ideas for taking charge of the acoustics.

#4  Add Some Nature

There’s quite a bit of scientific evidence out there that supports nature’s positive effect on productivity. Natural sunlight and plants have been shown to increase job satisfaction, increase organization, decrease anxiety and depression, and increase overall productivity.

So, add some plants to your home’s office’s design. Little desk plants, like succulents, are perfect for this. Additionally, if you have a window, keep it open during the day to let some natural light flow through it.

Improve Your Productivity with Your Home Office Design

These four ideas are just a few of the ways you can be more productive in your home office. Eliminating distractions, reducing clutter, prioritizing acoustics, and adding in some nature are all effective ways for improving focus and ultimately increasing productivity.

In addition to these ideas, you can also incorporate exercise into your day, think about smart color combinations, and prioritize what works for you. Take inventory of your workflow. What are the things that keep you from being productive? Whatever they are, get creative and think about ways to counterbalance them with your home office’s design.

Matt Lee is the owner of the Innovative Building Materials blog and a content writer for the building materials industry. He is focused on helping fellow homeowners, contractors, and architects discover materials and methods of construction that save money, improve energy efficiency, and increase property value.