Lisa Earle McLeod* says months of working in a little office just off her bedroom have made her realise the space needs a refresh.
My home office is a small study directly off of my bedroom.
When I travelled a lot, I used to love coming home to my cosy, intimate office. It was set up exactly the way I liked it — beautiful desk, great view, even scented candles.
Yet after 15 plus months of sitting in it, I’ve felt it become less special.
The stacks of papers and protein bar wrappers, plus the long hours in the same seat, have made me less content in my once-loved space.
Perhaps you’re experiencing similar boredom and discomfort with your own work-from-home set-up.
We all know that a good chair and good desk do wonders, but there are other, often-forgotten elements of working from home that hugely contribute to our mood, energy, and overall productivity.
Whether you’re transitioning to a hybrid model, committing to fully remote work, or if it’s all still a big question mark, here are four tips to bring the gusto back to your space.
Raise your screen
If you haven’t already, ensure your monitor is at or slightly below your eye level. Many home set-ups have the screen too low.
If your screen is too low, your eyes will be partially closed for most of the day so is it any wonder you’re feeling sleepy? (Plus, it’s also hugely unflattering).
If you are working on a laptop, you’ll need a laptop stand to get it at the right height, or invest in a second monitor that is closer to your eye level.
Breathe in the fresh air
Regular dust, allergens, even excess moisture, have a dramatic impact on how we feel.
If you can open a window, do it. If that’s not an option, make sure you’re managing the quality of air in your space.
Consider an air purifier. You can also add a small air purifying plant to your space, like a ‘Money Tree’.
This plant naturally purifies the air and as the name suggests, it’s said to symbolise prosperity. Who couldn’t use more of that in an office?
Keep it neat
Yeah, yeah, I know, everyone says a messy desk is a sign of creativity — that’s fine when said desk is in a company conference room.
The challenge when you’re working from home is that the messy desk is likely visible when you’re trying to switch off. It’s a constant reminder of unresolved work chaos.
If you can shut the door to your office, fine, but if your office is your bedroom (like mine) or in your living room, consider a quick end-of-day tidy up.
You’ll likely feel more relaxed in the evening and approach the next morning with more confidence.
Adjust your lighting
Just because your office environment had harsh fluorescent lighting doesn’t mean your home office has to suffer the same fate.
You can actually boost your mood by adjusting the colour temperature of your light-bulbs (sounds crazy, bear with me).
Light temperature is measured in kelvins: The lower the kelvins, the ‘warmer’ the light; the higher the kelvins, the ‘cooler’ the light.
Commercial office lighting typically has a colour temperature of 4,000 kelvins or above.
For a home office, I suggest taking that down a bit. The light-bulbs in my office are 3,000 kelvins bulbs, a bit ‘warmer’ than traditional office lighting.
If you’re experiencing afternoon fatigue or headaches, try adjusting the colour temperature in your office.
Whether you plan on working in this space for the next three weeks or the next three years, taking the time to optimise your set-up and create an environment that makes your feel great is time well spent.
*Lisa Earle McLeod is the leadership expert best known for creating the popular business concept Noble Purpose. She is the author of Selling with Noble Purpose and Leading with Noble Purpose. She can be contacted at mcleodandmore.com.
This article first appeared at mcleodandmore.com.
