Apr 13, 20204 min read

#monday mood: Office @ HOME.

Many of us are now working from home due the coronavirus pandemic,

so I would like to say : Welcome.

I have been working remotely for the past year, since I have started working mostly as a freelancer and, at the beginning, it can be VERY challenging. Although I have the privilege to have the house to my own, I know many of us are facing a lot of challenges and distractions at the moment.

Wether homeschooling children while working, having your partner nearby, the house that may be constantly a mess since everybody it's always at home, or just the loneliness of your working without your coworkers in your buzzy office.

Adopting a whole new lifestyle for some can be extremely knotty. Juggling with all the chores that you have to do, it can gets so easily distracting and hard to be able to sit down quietly at your kitchen table - with the laptop open when your kids paint that seems to be all over, with some leftovers from breakfast and your husband's files that needs to be managed as well.

The 'so much time' that we have at hand right now can shrink very easily and you may found yourself at 16:00 in the evening with not much work done. A day can pass so easily right now and they all seem to blend together leaving you with less things done than usual.

Either you miss a convenient schedule and environment and falling back into a work routine seems unreal yet, or just lack the motivation to get to work, here are a few tips that will help you get started and will kick in the productivity.

The feeling of being at home, more often than not, means leisure time. It's understandable, reasonable and perfectly normal. We have been rushing our lives for who knows how long, to be able to fit everything in. Kids, relationships, social life, self care, workouts, meal prep, deadlines, kid's events, etc. Right now, a pause has been forced into our lives and I am sure it can be so beneficial for so many of us. Although I really think that we should use this time to take care of ourselves and of those around us, work still needs to be done. Make a schedule, pin everything that you have to do and try to make it as similar as the one that you used to have.

Stick with a morning workout routine to set the tone for a productive day ahead. Try to get done as many things as you can while the house it's still quiet. Even if it's just for a few hours, try to be unreachable for your family and find a quiet spot where you can dedicate your focus entirely to your work.

Your new work space.

Having a dedicated place to work it's just as important. A desk somewhere quiet, where it's unlikely to get easily disturbed will help you get back into that working mood. Also, being able to spread all your files, have the printer nearby if needed or all the utensils that you may need to use, will make your work go a whole lot faster.

Here are a few beautiful home office ideas that may inspire you to create your own desk at home which you will actually relish, and enjoy to spend time in.

I know that not many of us have a private room which they can turn it into an office space and the house can get a little crowded with your whole family in, but there are ways to make your own private area, in the smallest spaces.

A new DIY project for your new 'office' could be an activity that your whole family can get involved with, plus, it's a good way to kickstart that 'hustle mood' that you need. Find what works best for you and your home. Could it be some shelves for your laptop, a curtain in a certain area that can hide you from your little ones, or a corner desk . Get some inspiration and make it work for you and your own needs.

Get some help - some colours are proved to improve productivity.

Kim Lachance Shandrow, presents a recent study from University of Texas. They found that bland grey, beige and white coloured office areas induced feelings of sadness and depression, especially in women. Men, on the other hand, experienced similarly gloomy feelings in purple and orange workspaces.

Similar scientific studies have shown that colours don’t just change our moods, they also profoundly impact our productivity, for better and for worse. That’s why it’s best to decorate your workplace with a vibrant medley of stimulating hues that increase output and spark creativity.

Low-wavelength colours, like restful green and calming blue -- two of the most common colours in Mother Nature’s palette -- improve efficiency and focus. They also lend an overall sense of well-being.

B L U E

Blue is universally known as an excellent colour for productivity. It also instills trust and loyalty. It is also a stable and calming colour that helps workers focus on the task at hand. Some experts recommend adding in bits of orange elements to help invoke emotion too. Blue is a good colour to paint the entire office and then use other colours as accents or desks for those individuals that match each colour.

G R E E N

Green is a good colour for people who work long hours. It does not cause eye fatigue and helps you remain calm and efficient at the same time.

Y E L L O W

Yellow is known as an optimistic colour and can help improve productivity; however the amount of yellow and intensity of the shade should be minimised so as not to cause eye fatigue or anger. Yellow helps stimulate creativity, so designers and people who need to be creative for their job should have colour integrated into their work space.

Depending on what works for your and what you enjoy most, keep this colours in mind when designing your own home office and try to add at least a splash of colour in your new space.

As I had to adopt the same habits of working from home, I had to adapt my space as well and to create an environment where I really enjoy working and gaining inspiration. Here is my small office area in my own home.