It’s great if you already had a home office organised before the lockdown but what if you’ve never had to work from home before and, quite frankly, don’t really have the proper space to place your computer and documents? Here are a few tips to help you remain productive and work from home comfortably, even in the tiniest of homes.
Alternate
If your bedroom is the only space you can realistically turn into a home office, make sure you change the environment around you when the activity changes. For example, in the morning, always make your bed, return the TV to its usual place and hide the book you were reading before you went to sleep. Once you’re done working, leave your laptop somewhere outside the bedroom, bring all those comforting things that scream ‘relaxation time’ back and, perhaps, light a candle. It might be the same room but you’re tricking your brain into thinking these are actually two different spaces!
Free space
Many of us have to share our working space – previously known as ‘the living room’ – with other family members. The key to co-existing happily in these conditions is to have as much free space in the room as possible. Make sure you’re as far from each other as you can be. For example, if one of you prefers to work at the dining table and the other one feels better staying on the couch, move them to the opposite sides of the room. Relocating unneeded furniture in another room (if possible) also helps to create that social distance between you and will allow those Zoom conferences of his not to interfere with those tricky calculating tasks of yours.
Utilise alcoves
Be it a spacious walk-in closet or a tiny nook by the fireplace – there are many small spaces that can temporarily become your ‘office away from office’. Just be creative and think of all the corners in the house where your table and chair can fit in. It’s time to make the most of those underused spaces! Even if, for a few weeks, it’s only a small coffee table and a bean bag facing the wall, at least you now have your own private space and won’t be distracted searching for somewhere to perch your laptop when you need to remain focused on work.
Images: Freepik
Shelf-turned-desk
As already mentioned, finding a proper working space in a small house is all about a creative approach. Whether you’re an avid book reader or Kinder Surprise toy collector (with 15-years’ experience), it might be time to clear one of these wider shelves of your precious possessions so that you can fit your laptop and a few documents. If your shelving system is adjustable, you can even organise great storage for your papers around your improvised desk! We’ve even seen gorgeous offices hidden inside bedroom closets – so smart!
How about window stills?
Modern houses don’t always have wide window stills but if you’re lucky to live in one of those cosy older homes, you might have a window sill wide enough to become a well-lit office space with a great view. Hard to imagine a better solution for a lockdown office!
Daily routine
It might not be quite an ‘interior design’ suggestion but when it comes to working from a small home, maintaining a daily schedule is really important. Wake up, have breakfast, dress up, and go to your designated office space, however small or not-office-looking it is, where you can even incorporate some relaxation with the help of comfortable massage chairs. We’re creatures of habit after all and if your mind knows it’s time to switch on immediately after you’ve performed your routine morning rituals, where exactly you’re going to work becomes way less important.
Shower time
As weird as it sounds, this is actual advice from people who have worked successfully from home for ages. If there is no way you can carve out an office space at home, create a routine that will substitute your daily commute from work. Like… taking a shower after a busy day! That will help you transition smoothly into an ‘at home mode’ even if your surroundings haven’t changed at all.
Indicator
Ok, so the kitchen table it is! But how do you let your family members know you’re busy working and not just browsing new apple pie recipes? Create a ‘Free/Busy’ sign and let your bubble know you’re not to be distracted when the ‘Busy’ indicator is on! It can be a piece of paper with these words on your table or a toy signaling that mummy is busy or even something as simple as having your headphones on. Make sure everyone knows THAT’S a sign.