Everything You Need to Create the Ultimate Home Office and Actually Boost Your Productivity!

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Now that working from home has become the new normal, it's time to create a workspace that helps you maintain productivity and efficiency. A dedicated home office makes it simple to focus on your work during your regular office hours and step away when your workday is done to maintain a healthy work/life balance during these challenging times.

In this post, we’ll share a list of what essentials every home office needs and why. Plus, four productivity hacks that will help you maintain your focus in 2022.

The five must-have home office essentials, and why they’re important

1. A sturdy and functional desk.

We’ve all tried hunching over the coffee table with our laptops before, but it’s definitely not an effective solution for work or learning from home situations. Having a stable and functional desk (we love the ones in the homework area of our Lola showhome) helps with organization, focus and keeps everything from your computer, to stationery, books and anything else you may need at your fingertips. If possible, choose an adjustable desk so you’re able to limit the amount of time you spend sitting throughout the day.

2. An ergonomic chair.

Ergonomic chairs are important for every office or at-home learning space. The purpose of these chairs is to support good posture and alleviate stress and pain throughout the musculoskeletal system so you can focus on the tasks at hand, instead of the discomfort of sitting all day long.

3. Organization and storage.

Whether it’s a built-in shelving unit, filing cabinet, or a desk with ample drawer space, it’s helpful to have a place to organize and store the items you aren’t using. This is especially important to help manage clutter if your workspace is out in the open or shared since it’s always visible. We love the built-in shelving of our Brooklyn model den, which gives you all the shelving you could possibly need.

4. Ample lighting.

An office with good lighting is essential for avoiding eye strain and headaches. If possible, choosing a room or space with lots of natural lighting - like the lifestyle room in our Freemont model - can offset the blue light glare from your monitor and increase your exposure to white light throughout the day, which can actually help you sleep better at night!

5. Creative colours.

When selecting office decor, art or plants; choose colours that boost productivity. We suggest avoiding dark colours or pastels, and going with blues and greens (especially vibrant tones and lavender hues) if your goal is to create a calming work area that keeps you in the zone. For a more stimulating space, yellows and oranges are the way to go. Not sure which way to go? Take a peek at the photo of our Emmett showhome in Livingston for some major wallpaper inspiration.

Now that you know exactly what you’ll need to set-up your office, here are four productivity hacks that will make sure you stay motivated all day long.

1. Block distracting apps or websites.

Did you know that, according to RescueTime.com, the average person can only go six minutes without checking their phone?! Fortunately, you can use blocker apps to limit or shut-off notifications from specific sites during your core working hours (don’t worry, they still show up later) so you avoid being constantly inundated with distracting messages and can continue to focus on each task at-hand.

2. Store your work on the cloud so your files are available to you from anywhere.

Thanks to cloud based software like Google Drive, Dropbox and Business Suite, it’s easier than ever to stay organized, work remotely and collaborate with your team so you never miss a beat.

3. Schedule regular face-to-face meetings (virtually).

Even though you may not be able to physically get together for the time being, you shouldn’t have to sacrifice from in-person interactions. With so many video conferencing platforms available to choose from, all you need is an app and some place quiet to connect with all your colleagues and clients.

4. Create (and stick to) a routine.

Although your daily commute may have shifted from downtown to down the hall, stick to a routine as much as possible. Creating a routine and having dedicated “home” and “work” spaces creates a clear distinction that gets you in the right mindset during the workday. To avoid distractions choose a location that's free from distractions so you can easily leave the office behind at the end of each day.

For more home office inspiration, check out our photo galleries or take a virtual tour online. Want to visit us in person instead? We’ve implemented additional health and safety measures in all of our Calgary and Edmonton showhomes, which are open!

References: https://www.newdayoffice.com/b...