How to Set Up a Home Office for Maximum Productivity

Whether you're a seasoned work-from-home expert who has perfected this ability for many years, or you're new to the world of working from home, every home office can benefit from an organizational makeover.

When it comes to arranging a home office, keeping productivity and efficiency in mind can assist guide your organization's efforts. Consider what you need from your surroundings in order to be productive, and arrange your home office space appropriately.

If you're stuck in a rut or simply need some inspiration, keep reading for four simple and practical strategies to organize your home office.

How to Organize and De-clutter Your Home Office

While some people find controlled chaos fascinating, some organization is required to minimize excessive clutter and spend time hunting for the resources you require. Make your clutter work for you if you like it. Instead of having heaps of diverse stuff on your desk, arrange the piles, or stacks, with purpose. Make a column for bills, another for invoices, another for shopping lists, and so on.

If clutter has a negative influence on your productivity, you may need to put in a bit more work to create a simplified environment. If you notice that paper is building up, consider switching to a paperless filing system or keeping a filing system (such as file cabinets) at your desk so you can rapidly sort papers into their relevant folders as soon as they arrive.

While the paper is one of the most common causes of desk clutter, it is not the only one to be concerned about. Pens, paperclips, thumb drives, books, calculators, and other office supplies can all take up important desk space. To prevent this, make it a routine to sort through these things once a week and keep them in conveniently accessible places.

This might be containers like pen cups or paper clip holders, or it could be inside your desk drawers.

General Desk Arrangement

You can arrange your desk in the following way to get more productivity.

• Separate related paperwork into folders, and keep only relevant files on your desk. When you're through with these files, return them to your filing cabinet or other storage location.
• Keep your display at eye level and at arm's reach, keeping this desk area just for your computer.
• Keep your phone on your dominant side to prevent reaching across your body and to make it easy to reach.
• Keep a paper-size area on your dominant side for faster examining, signing, and organizing documents and files.
• Only store materials on your desk that you use on a regular basis.

In addition to your home office desk, keep an eye out for clutter that has accumulated in other areas of your workplace. Consider including bookshelves for extra storage and displaying personal items, as well as a chair or two to give additional sitting for loved ones who drop in for a visit, or to adjust your seat position.

Simply ensure that you also take an effort to reduce clutter in office areas. Consider dividing your workspace into two zones: one for computer work and one for non-computer activity. The first zone should be devoted to your standard desktop or laptop setup, where you will accomplish most of your work, while the second should be free of cables and charges so you can concentrate on analog activities.

Make Comfort Your Number One Priority

Perhaps nothing has a greater negative influence on productivity than pain. Whether it's a badly constructed chair causing back discomfort or incorrect placement of a computer near a window creating glare and eye strain, make sure your workstation matches the standards of comfort you demand.

To begin, a good office chair and a well-lit workspace are essential for your comfort and health. To prevent neck and back pain, position your chair and monitor so that you are facing straight ahead. Because sitting for lengthy amounts of time may be harmful to your health, get up and walk about often, or consider investing in a standing desk or movable shelf for the monitor that enables you to sit or stand as needed.

Your workplace should ideally have a combination of natural and artificial light. natural light is preferable throughout the day, as long as glare is avoided, but appropriate artificial lighting is preferable when it becomes dark outside. Consider purchasing excellent window coverings for any windows in your home office to ensure light levels are appropriate for your comfort, as well as a few side or desk lights to put on your desk or bookshelf.