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MAINTAINING A HOME
5 ways to create a productive and inspiring home office
29 April 2020
Lucy Glade-Wright
Designer and Director of Hunting for George
With a background in design and creative direction, Lucy worked for a number of high profile brands before starting her own brand, Hunting for George. Founded in 2010, Hunting for George is an online publication that is your go-to inspiration for all things Home, Design and Lifestyle. As the raconteur behind Hunting for George, Lucy is passionate about design and this self-proclaimed ‘homebody’ is driven to create unique and engaging stories to educate and inspire.
Now that we are all spending more time at home, it’s important to make sure you have a space where you can work! Working from home can be great, but you need to make sure you have the right setup in order to be as productive as possible. Here are five things you can do to spruce up your workspace at home and motivate yourself each and every day.
1. Declutter
First things first, clean up. Clear away clutter to make space for a desk. Whether it’s in a spare room or in the corner of your living area, clean up the area you want to turn into your home office. A messy workspace is stressful and not productive, so start fresh.
Image credits: Art Direction & Styling: Lucy Glade-Wright / Photography: Jonno Rodd for Hunting for George
2. Remove distraction
There can be many distractions when working from home, so try to remove any additional ones from around your desk. Don’t face your desk towards the television or a noisy area of the home. Simplify your desk and only have the essentials that you need in order to work. Try not to bring your phone to your desk to avoid distractions like scrolling through Instagram. And noise cancelling headphones are a must for working from home, especially if you have a noisy home life to contend with!
Image credits: Art Direction & Styling: Lucy Glade-Wright / Photography: Jonno Rodd for Hunting for George
3. Get comfy
It’s incredibly important to work at a desk that is the right height (generally around 75cm high). You need to be able to work the same hours you normally would in the office, so sitting up to the kitchen island bench is a no go. An affordable way to create a makeshift desk is to use a solid piece of timber and then attach table legs, which can be found at most hardware stores or furniture outlets. Otherwise invest in a desk that is right for your space. Your chair is equally important. If you can, invest in an ergonomic chair. Another option you could try is sitting on a fit ball to focus on your core and back posture. Otherwise, if all you have is a slightly uncomfortable dining chair, pop a cushion in for more back support.
Image credits: Art Direction & Styling: Lucy Glade-Wright / Photography: Jonno Rodd for Hunting for George
4. Inspire yourself
Style up a few items that inspire you. Think about creating a mood board to style up with ideas, motivational quotes, things that inspire you. A foam pin board is a great way to do this. Also bring in touches of greenery. Adding an indoor plant or a small vase of cut flowers from the garden will bring life to your workspace and more importantly, make you smile when you get to your desk.
Image credits: Art Direction & Styling: Lucy Glade-Wright / Photography: Jonno Rodd for Hunting for George
5. Visualise your goals
It’s hard to stay motivated sometimes when you’re working from home. But you do have the benefit of privacy, so use that to your advantage and display your goals loud and proud! What are some goals that you want to achieve this week, month or year? Have a think and write them down. Then add them to your pin board or put them up on the wall in front of you. This is a great way to remind yourself of what you want to accomplish. The more you see it, the more you think about it, the more you work towards it.
Read more:
- 5 Ways to Maintain Health and Wellbeing While Stuck at Home
- 12 Tips on How to Be Productive When Working From Home
- How to ‘Make Change for Less’ in your Living Room Makeover
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