3 Crazy Simple Hacks for a More Productive Home Office Space
By Katie-Faye Jenkins
Working from home has taken on a whole new meaning in 2020. As multitudes of people were uprooted from their workplaces and schools, we were forced to adapt quickly to a completely new way of working and learning. For some of us, working from home is nothing new, but for others, juggling kiddos at home trying to learn, a new way of conducting business and keeping it all organized has been incredibly stressful. No matter your current situation these three simple hacks will help you be as productive as possible when you sit down to work.
Baskets were made for this, use them for their highest calling!!
Clutter is a productivity killer! We all know it. But honestly, who has time to clean up the months of papers we forgot were important? Or all the little bits of life that get “set down for a moment” and never find their way home. A simple way to start decluttering is a couple of baskets. As you bring additional items into your office space start a habit of “filing” it into one of these baskets:
– An inbox (All the items you need to deal with soon)
– Outbox items (Need to be filed or stored for later)
– Put Away box (You can easily take the basket with you at the end of the day to put all the collected items away)
– I Actually Need This box (More on that below)
As you start to form the habit of filing new items, take ten minutes every day to chip away at the existing clutter. A bit at a time is less overwhelming and that little corner of an empty desk can be super inspiring to keep going!!
Keep vital items easily accessible
There are a few items that should always be within arms reach. It may seem simple and obvious, but keeping the following items in a desk drawer or “I Actually Need This” basket as mentioned above will make life so much easier.
– A multitude of pens and pencils (Bonus points if they all work!)
– An eraser, stapler, calculator, notepad, ruler or tape measure and a pack of sticky notes
– Device chargers, spare USB and a couple of extra batteries for your mouse
Start thinking of this as a work survival pack and modify it as needed to keep you on task throughout the day.
Treat your office like any other part of your home
Offices don’t need to be sterile environments of beige and off white. Make it a space you enjoy spending time in! If you love to be cozy, keep a blanket rolled up in a basket (yes, another one). Paint the walls a beautiful color that makes you smile or add some quirky artwork! Something fun you enjoy looking at is a great way to give your eyeballs a much-needed break from the computer screen.
These 3 simple hacks might be common knowledge but when put into action they are a quick way to make your home office space more productive and enjoyable!