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Making Work From Home Work: Design Inspiration and Tips
With adjusting to a new normal of remote work, you may have found yourself shifting your furniture around to adapt to your new lifestyle.
Here are a few things to consider when creating and decorating your home office space, including inspiration from a few of our favorite bloggers who have long mastered the art of working from home.
We also asked our team members about what they’ve learned from just a few months of shifting from office to home. Read on for everything you need to know to get your work from home (WFH) setup in order.
Tip 1: Invest in comfort
Ergonomics, ergonomics, ergonomics! A healthy and comfortable sitting position will save you from knotty muscles so you can enjoy your time both on the clock and off. Invest in a comfortable chair that has back support or that can be adjusted to various surface heights.
Ashley invested in a comfortable chair paired with the Liza White Shag rug.
In addition, sound is a major factor in creating a productive space for some. If this is you, noise-canceling headphones can be a must-have in a crowded house.
Overall, make it cozy, cozy, cozy! No cricks in the neck, no distracting sounds, and add the finishing touch of a cozy rug to cushion the toes. Now you’re ready to write some emails!
Tip 2: Make it a dedicated workspace
Even if you don’t have your own separate office space and are using your bed as a chair, you should find that comfortable space you can designate as your workspace.
Keep it free from personal clutter, if possible. Most importantly, keep it how you like it. Find art or a space that inspires you.
Tip 3: Don't be afraid to adjust as needed
If your space isn’t working out, try a different arrangement. You might surprise yourself with how creative you can be!
Just moving the desk to a sunnier spot can brighten the whole day. You can always use your furniture in new ways to help adjust to the new way you’re using the space. For example, a high kitchen counter makes a great standing desk and an end table might make a great new plant stand.
Looking for a new rug to upgrade your workspace? Here are a few styles to fit any taste below.
Modern Office Rug Styles
Boho Office Rug Styles
Bold and Eclectic Office Rug Styles
Mid-Century Office Rug Styles
Working From Home: Tips from the Well Woven Team
“Switch locations from time to time (office, kitchen, dining room, bedroom...). Don't stay in one area.”
—William, Operations Manager
“Make a schedule. For everything. And stick to it as much as possible. If you work from home with young kids, don’t hate yourself for not being constantly productive. Set achievable goals and celebrate the small victories.
—Justin, Studio Manager/Digital Content Producer
“One thing I've found helpful is setting aside 1 hour where I don't check email and try not to check Slack. That way I can stay really focused on a specific project versus getting pulled in multiple directions which makes me less productive.”
—Alli, Sourcing and Development
“Silence the notifications and limit the distractions outside of business hours. If something is on fire or someone really needs you at that specific moment - we have a phone anyone can call; no need to stress about missing all the chats/notifications. Also, eat lunch at lunch time and work poolside.”
—Scott, Chief of Staff
“My first tip is to have a separate work and living space or hide your laptop/drape a sheet over your desk if you don’t. If it’s open, you’ll check it. Or at least you’ll think about it. At lunchtime and after work my laptop goes into sleep mode and gets put away. Limiting distractions is a key to both productivity and “unproductivity” (the latter of which is actually really important for creative productivity).
Next, crack a window if it’s warm enough. A light breeze can be surprisingly physically restorative.
Let’s not forget: stretch like nobody’s watching, because now they aren’t! Great for people who don’t have a practice of stretching or yoga. Just do little (or big) stretches throughout the day. Think like a cat. Cat’s don’t roll out a yoga mat, they just stretch when they want to!
Another thing I’ve learned is that for people like me who don’t have a dishwasher and whose dishes always pile up, take a break to do a few dishes (or some other chore) while listening to your favorite music or podcast. You’ll get a mental break, feel productive (i.e. not “wasting” your time) and have less to do later at night when you’re more tired than you’d think you could be after so many hours of sitting in one place.
Finally, get a bigger water bottle. This one may be more general but I’m always forgetting to drink water and find myself not getting up too often for “watercooler” breaks, particularly not being in an office. A larger water bottle helps me drink more without constantly getting up for another glass. And pro tip: if you wait a little while, it’ll give you a built-in reason to get up and stretch your legs. Also, just drink more water because you’re probably dehydrated."
—Brandon, Marketing Manager
“We need to clean our hands as often as possible nowadays, so multitasking by cleaning the dishes is a perfect opportunity to keep this habit and trick yourself into doing them.
On making a schedule: don’t just make it, stick to it. But also, keep a routine - dress up , wear something you like and that makes your day special, make special plans ahead of time for an evening with your family so you have something to look forward to after a work day.
Another one I learned - if you have pets, distract yourself for a few minutes during the day to play with them. They give you so much energy!”
—Luba, Operations and Finance Executive
How are you decorating your home office space to accommodate remote work? Show us by tagging us on Instagram with #livewellwoven.