The fact that you are blessed enough to be able to work from home, in no way means that the story with your home office productivity is going to be any easier. In fact, you’re probably going to need to put in even more effort than you would in a traditional office environment. There are many ways to create a productive home workspace and here are five ideas that we think will help you out the most.

1. Have an actual workspace

The most slippery of all the slopes within a home office environment is the fact that you will be working from the comfort of your own living space. This can make for a beneficial, relaxing atmosphere, but also lead you to procrastination. This is why it’s important that you determine which room has which purpose – a bedroom is for sleeping, a dining room is for eating and your home office is for working.
Furthermore, working from your bedroom or living room will likely mess with the whole vibe of the given area. That’s why you need to create your own personal work area.

2. Lighting

A dim and gloomy area is a well-known productivity killer. Sunlight, on the other hand, is more than a requirement – a proper amount of it on a daily basis can boost your productivity levels beyond expectations. If installing additional windows in the proximity of your working area is out of the question, the cheapest solution would be mirrors – a couple of strategically placed ones can go a long way in providing your work area with a lot of natural light.
However, if your office is simply on the dark side of your home, mirrors won’t do the trick. The smart way to go here would be to install skylights.
Now, come nighttime, you are going to have to depend on the quality of your lighting fixtures, and if you want light that is as close to sunlight as possible, opt for LEDs – they might be a bit more expensive, but they will definitely pay off in the long run.

3. Colors

Ignoring the power of colors is a huge mistake – colors are a design element that can significantly enhance your work efficiency and make you focus more easily. Certain colors can affect your mood in different ways. For example, red is intense, alarming, but also passion-inspiring. It increases heart rate, blood flow and creativity. Yellow, on the other hand is energetic and fresh; it can trigger innovation and it’s a perfect work environment for artists, writers, developers and other creative professionals. Green and blue are low-wavelength colors that can be found in nature. They inspire an overall sense of well-being, creating a happier, more effective work environment. You could paint the walls in these colors, or even get creative with some neon or LED lighting. Depending on what you need as a professional, you should pick the colors of your home office to suit your work ethic best.

4. Office supplies

The fact that you work from home can lead you into thinking that you’ve got everything you need at hand. In reality, however, your home office is as equipped as you make it! In addition to your job-related equipment (depending on what you do), you’re going to need pens, pencils, notebooks, printing paper, etc. This means that opting for products from renowned brands like Dymo can go a long way in making sure that your home office is well-equipped.

5. Keep clutter at bay

One of the worst issues with home offices is the fact that it’s located in your living space. This means that you aren’t obligated to keep things tidy, clean and clutter-free, and these three factors are the very pillars of home office success. Get rid of the stuff you know you don’t need, keep things tidy and clean your office on a regular basis.