Turn your home into the perfect office!
Working from home. It sounds like the dream life, doesn’t it? You wake up whenever you want, wear PJs all day long, and nap in the afternoon. It’s the perfect recipe… for disaster.
It’s easy to lose structure when you only report to yourself. These tips will help you stay productive, creative, and inspired while working from home:
Define your workspace. It’s really tempting to wake up and work right from bed. I’ve tried and failed miserably. In order to be productive, you need to treat your workspace like any other professional setting. This means setting rules and showing up on time. I make sure I’m at my desk by 9 a.m. every single day. If I don’t, my morning routine will linger all the way until noon.
Hang shelves and utilize them wisely. There’s only so much desk space when you’re living in a small, one-bedroom apartment. In the past, I’ve put a shoe rack, like this one, on top of my desk, and used it as a printer station. It gave me more desk space and options for organizing my office supplies. You can do the same by hanging shelves. The key is to get things off your desk so the clutter doesn’t distract you.
Create a mood board. If your desk faces a wall, create a real-life Pinterest board with things that inspire you. Include places you want to
visit,motivational quotes, and pictures of your dream closet. Your board will continually evolve as your interests change. Don’t feel like you need to get it done all in one day. I’m constantly removing items and adding new ones all of the time. Just have fun with it!
Surround yourself with colors that inspire you. Decorate your space with colors that make you happy. Paint your shelves a bright color or cut fresh flowers for your desk. I like to decorate with candles from Anthropologie because they come in the most beautiful jars and tins. It’s a simple way to add instant style to any space, and they smell delicious.
Avoid distractions. Surfing Facebook and monitoring your Twitter feed are two major distractions that eat up valuable time. Add in your personal email, LinkedIn, and a few text messages, and it’s afternoon before you accomplished anything on your work list. I like to schedule these “time wasters” for an hour in the morning so I’m not tempted to break half way through a project (or blog post) to check them. I also find that shutting down email and putting my phone on silent for a specific amount of time allows me to stay focused and get things done. There are plenty of time-tracking apps that will help you do this more efficiently, but I often use the alarm on my phone.
What are some of your tips for staying productive, creative, and inspired? Let us know in the comments below!
