JOIN USA home office needs to be professional enough to maintain the productivity, yet offer a homely ambience to ease the daily tensions, writes Mahesh Jain.
Setting up a home office has become quite a prevalent trend not only abroad, but also in India. Working from home, definitely, offers advantages – comfort, flexibility in arranging your own schedule, saving time and money by almost eliminating the daily commute and so on.
To run a successful business or work effectively from home requires creating an office space that promotes efficiency in a non-traditional work environment. However, it is crucial to have your home office set up in a way that it promotes productivity. It is of utmost importance to create a good office environment at home.
When it comes to designing a home office, it can be as small as a folding file or as large as a room, depending upon the requirement. Here go a few tips that can help in creating a perfect home office:
Equipments: It can be difficult to get the right speed and efficiency in work at home in the beginning. But if you opt for the right - and just the necessary - equipments, then you can surely avert this setback. Make sure you have all the equipments that can assist you in your daily work. Internet, telephone, office furniture, which includes chairs, desk, storages and other tools essential for a home office.
Lighting: Adequate amount of lighting is essential. Ideally, you want as much natural daylight as possible. If your space has a window, it will enhance the lighting. If there is no source of natural light, high quality task lighting is the solution. If lighting levels are low, it could not only have an adverse effect on your eyes, but will also have negative psychological effects like depression, mood swings and so on.
Privacy: If you want to increase your productivity and efficiency, you need a peaceful and calm environment where you can think of better ideas and strategies. If a door to the office area is not practical, it may be helpful to add signage like “No interruptions” or “Quiet please” to remind others that this is work time.
Layout: Layout is one of the significant factors in creating a home office. Keep in mind the comfort, storage and space, while deciding the layout of the home office.
Ergonomics: Health, fitness and comfort should be given utmost importance while selecting the office furniture. Hence, the items you choose should be ergonomically designed to promote your health and well-being.
Latest trends
Taking a cue from the increasing popularity of home offices, interior experts and designers are experimenting with various styles and trends in this segment. Here go a few ideas from the latest trends:
l In case you’ve got a small or limited office space, try to keep the decor minimal. Keep it simple, do not clutter or pile up on unnecessary knick-knacks. Otherwise it’ll end up looking very clumsy. This in turn will make the space chaotic and disturb the work environment.
l It is always adviseable to go for multi- functional furniture as it saves a lot of space and money and makes the area more free, open and easier to manage.
l The newest trend in home office design is to not give it an appearance of an office at all but rather make it more homely, simultaneously keeping in mind the professional ambience and environment of the office so that the output does not get hindered. A key element is a comfortable chair that’s good for you to sit in because people spend a lot of time at their desk.
l Colour plays a vital role in setting the tone, energy level and mood of the working environment. Therefore, be aware of the psychological impact of the colour you choose for your home office. Blues, greens and violets are considered to be cool colours as they are known to evoke feelings of peace and relaxation.
Colours can be impactful and motivational. Everyone needs a different environment to bring out their best in terms of creativity and productivity. When it comes to work spaces, colours can make or break the ambience as well as the productivity associated with the place. Here’s looking at what some of the popular hues stand for:
l Green represents health and restfulness.
l Red can feel dramatic and exciting.
l Blue can be calming and productive.
l Black is best in small doses.
l Yellow brightens any space and symbolises energy.
Make the space your own and ensure that the decor reflects your personality. Try to have your favourite artifact or a photograph that will break the monotony in the space. It will also refresh you during your break time. Small touches like these make the space your own and also enhance your productivity.
(The author is the business head at Stellar Furniture and Lifestyle)