Millions of people work from home. This is a modern trend. Even before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people were already working from home. This type of work is commonly associated with freelancers. Programmers, copywriters, translators, journalists, and other professions. Many of these professionals have their workspace at home.
There are several advantages to working from home. The biggest one is that you are your boss. As such, you can manage your time as you deem more convenient. This seems to be the dream of many people. However, working from home is not as easy as it seems. You must be very self-disciplined. And to be productive in your work from home, you must have a perfectly organized workspace.
This applies to work at a traditional office too. But it seems that keeping a well-organized workspace is more difficult at home. What do you have to do to keep your workspace tidy and organized? What type of furniture do you need? Should you buy a lifting desk? You surely have many questions about this issue. Don’t worry. You can have a well-organized workspace if you follow 3 simple steps. You can learn about them in this article.
Start Organizing Right Now
As said, the following steps apply to both traditional and home workspaces. Organizing your workspace is critical to boosting your productivity. And even if you claim to be more creative in a messy workspace, some level of organization is still needed. Hence, the best you can do is to start organizing your workspace right now.
Don’t worry if your workspace looks very messy right now. You don’t have to transform your workspace entirely in a single day. Take your time. It may take some days, or in some cases months. Don’t get discouraged. You can start with the spaces that you use more frequently. Most likely than not, this is your desk. Again, you don’t have to do everything in a day. The most important thing is that you start organizing. And don’t stop until you achieve your goal.
STEP 1: Assign a Place for Everything
To keep your workspace well-organized, there must be a place for everything. And each item that you use, you should return it to its assigned place. The best way to do it is to remove everything from the area that you want to organize. After removing everything, you’ll be able to visualize more clearly how things should be organized. You should put similar items together. For example, to organize your desk, you can follow this approach:
- Put papers in binders or file cabinets;
- Books, magazines, and notebooks should be on a bookshelf;
- Use boxes or baskets for office utensils.
After putting everything in its place, you’ll be left with some things to which you didn’t assign a place. Check what you can throw away, donate, or keep in a dedicated place. You may need to buy some things like bookshelf, storage bins, and other accessories. See it as an investment. Moreover, remember that you don’t have to do everything at once.
STEP 2: Create a Soothing and Motivating Environment
You spend several hours a day at your workspace. Hence, besides having everything organized, you need to create a pleasant environment. Decorate your office as you like. Hang artworks on the wall or place a plant by your desk. Be creative. You can also paint the walls with colors that convey energy and good vibes to work. You can do this more easily if your workspace is at home. But if not, you can ask your employer what changes and modifications you can do to your office.
To create a more motivating environment, place some objects that remind you of what you work so hard for. Do you work hard to give provide for your children? Are you trying to save up for that trip you’re been longing for? Put portraits of your children on your desk. Hang pictures of the places you want to travel to on your walls.
STEP 3: Maintain Your Workspace Organized
Once you finish organizing your workspace, the last step is to maintain it. This may be a bit difficult to achieve. However, it is necessary. Otherwise, you will need to organize your workspace again soon. Hence, try to do something to keep your workspace organized every day. The simplest way is to put everything back in its assigned place. Whatever pending work you have, store it in its corresponding drawer. Don’t leave piles of disorganized papers on your desk.
Also, get rid of the things that you don’t need regularly. Papers, magazines, and utensils. You can donate them or throw them away. But don’t pile them in your workspace if you won’t need them anymore. Fix immediately any malfunction in your office equipment, lighting, or furniture. Keeping a functional workspace is the key to keep it organized.
Enjoy Your Workspace and Stay Healthy
Congratulations! Now you have a perfectly organized workspace. Whether you work from home or at a traditional office, having an organized workspace is remarkable. Enjoy it. Your workspace now will inspire and motivate you to be productive. But be careful not to abuse it. You must keep a good work-life balance. Having a well-organized workspace should not be the reason to become a work addict.
Particularly if you work from home, you must set clear boundaries between work and personal life. For this reason, your office at home should not be set up in your bedroom. Take breaks every hour, and go out at least once a day. You can just walk around the block. The important thing is to get some fresh air and forget about work for a while. This will help to keep you mentally healthy without stress.
Your physical health is also very important. Hence, get a comfortable office chair. If possible, get a lifting desk (also known as a standing desk). This way you can alternate sitting and standing positions while working. This will diminish your risk of suffering from heart disease, diabetes, or obesity.
