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Now more than ever we’re realizing how important it is to have a home office. This may not have been as big of a priority a few years ago and it has left some families may be scrambling for space to work in peace and take a Zoom call in private. 

Whether you’re turning a spare bedroom or a cozy corner into your home office, the Sandlin team has 4 tips for creating a comfortable and convenient space amid the chaos.

Choose a Productive Space

If you don’t happen to have an extra room in your home to transform into an office, you can still make use of the space you do have. First, find a quiet area away from family foot traffic and unnecessary distraction. Then, try to find some furniture that fits and keep you on task. Prioritize a writing surface or desktop and a comfortable chair. If possible, try to give yourself some transition moving out of your bedroom, and not settling on the couch. This will help signal the start and end of your day when the hours blend together.

Also, if you can, try to create your new home office space near a window. According to Make Great Light, access to natural light in your working space results in better mental clarity and sleep patterns, improved vision, decreased fatigue, and fewer headaches and migraines.

Prioritize Functionality

Since hours of the day will be spent in this space it’s important that you have access to everything you need without being stuck in a cluttered mess. The goal is to create a productive space that inspires you and allows you to complete your job.

If you are limited on space, build up rather than out. Use the wall to hang shelves or add a shelving unit to your space to store folders, bins, and other work-related items you need. Avoid using the tabletop of your desk as a space to pile papers, projects or unnecessary materials.

Do you need access to a lot of files or paperwork? Use your filing cabinets as desk legs and place a table top or flat surface over top as a make-shift desk. This will allow you to save space while being fully functional as well. 

Consider your work flow and create a list of everything you need to complete your job or projects. Use that list as a checklist guide while creating your home office. Keep in mind your working space should serve you, not the other way around.

Sprinkle in Personalization

A boring office space won’t inspire you to be creative or productive. The goal of personalizing and decorating your workspace should be to help inspire you, not cause more distractions. Adding a plant or an art piece is a great start. Avoid piling numerous picture frames, figurines and children’s art pieces on your tabletop or around your space. Too much clutter around your work space can result in clutter in your mind as well. Take advantage of wall space and window sills to add that picture, art piece and plant rather than your desk space. Creating a balance between functionality and personalization is the sweet spot you should aim for. 

Get Comfy but Not Too Comfy

Since you will be spending hours sitting at your desk it is imperative that your workspace is comfortable and Ergonomic. Nothing will put a damper on your productivity and motivation than waking up each morning and dreading sitting at your desk because of uncomfortability and pain. 

Invest in an ergonomically correct desk chair. An ergonomically correct and comfortable chair will allow proper posture and less back pain. Your chair should be set to the proper height and have back and arm rests. You should be able to sit with your feet flat on the floor, your thighs roughly parallel to the floor, and your elbows slightly bent on the arm rests.

Adjust the height of your chair and your monitor so that the top of your monitor is at eye level. Your monitor should always be slightly tilted up and 18 to 24 inches away from your face. This will also improve your posture and prevent you from slouching. 

While we’re adjusting our “new normal” and the number of people working from home is larger than ever, it’s time to prioritize your home office.

Sandlin Homes builds single-family homes around the DFW metro area, and we design them with your family’s lifestyle in mind. Are you ready to right-size and check all the boxes on your list? Start with browsing through our gallery of home designs, virtual tours of our communities, and move-in ready homes for sale now for a quick closing. Contact us to see where your future could be.