If you’re still working from home – it’s time. Time to move from the couch or the dining room table or whatever corner of your house your office has been relegated to. Time to invest in a proper desk that will not only do wonders for your productivity, but your health. And more importantly, time to give your space an easy upgrade to create chic and cozy office vibes.
“A recent survey by Staples found that 25 percent of respondents believe that they will work from home for a longer term, or on a more permanent basis,” said Amy Lang, SVP of Strategy & Insights at Staples US Retail. With the future of work to include more time at home, little things like investing in a High Rise Electric Dual Monitor Standing Desk, MidMod 48″ Writing Desk or MidMod Fabric Guest Chair will do wonders for sitting and standing — in style — during those long Zoom meetings, but there’s much more to be done.
Whether you are working from home or simply looking for a sense of comfort for your home office, HGTV Extreme Makeover: Home Edition star and interior designer, Breegan Jane offers a few home decor tips that will uplift your mood & freshen up your WFH space!
Minimize the number of interruptions throughout the day: It’s so important to stay focused and on task so you can fit more into your work day – and many of us have been adjusting working from home with distractions of kids, pets, and deliveries. Putting my new Echo Show 10 in my office has been a game changer. Using my Devices as an intercom, I can connect to my kids’ Echo and let them know bath time is quickly approaching so they can begin their nightly routine. I constantly have packages delivered to my house for myself and for my clients, so I recently got a Ring Video Doorbell, which connects with my Echo Show 10. Using this technology, I can easily see who’s at the door, ask Alexa to connect me to my Ring, and tell the delivery worker to leave them by the door and keep an eye on packages until I have a chance to bring them inside.
Keep a tidy workspace: I believe those post-it notes and scraps of paper all over a desk really linger in the back of your head and slow you down over time. I recommend doing a clean through your desk space and eliminating the little papers by turning to tech. To stay more productive and balanced, I’ve thrown all that paper in the recycling bin and now use Alexa for reminders and lists. Instead of cluttering your desk with papers, add decorative touches like plants, crystals, or decorative pops of color that help create that calm, happy mood.
Build cozy breaks into your day: It seems counterintuitive especially on busy days, but it’s so important to step away in order to recharge and reset. I find that it helps restart my brain and do my best work. To help keep me accountable, I set up an Alexa Routine to remind me to go for a walk and share a positive quote in the afternoon to help me power through the rest of the day. I also recently purchased a hanging rocking chair that I put outside. It’s so relaxing to sit down outside for a bit – don’t forget to leave your phone inside!
Create ambiance: The three things I focus on within the office space are plants, fragrance and music. When you have a device that you can speak to, you can set any mood you want at any time. I ask Alexa to put on classical music to create a calm working environment.
Give yourself space to fit in little movements: I recommend building in space into the office space (if possible) so you can move around throughout your workday – they really add up and help so much with focus. I’ve found that I think better during calls when I can pace and move around, but since everything is on a video call now, I’ve been stagnant at my desk. When I added my new Echo Show 10 to the room, it changed my work from home life. The screen follows me around the room so now when I’m on Zoom with close colleagues and assistants, I can move around, but still stay in view to keep that face-to-face interaction.