Three Secrets to Creating a Happy Home Office

Three Secrets to Creating a Happy Home Office

You spend a lot of time in your home office, so you might as well enjoy it. Read on for tips to making your home working space comfortable and inspiring.

Over the past year, working from home has become the norm, at least for the foreseeable future. While it’s possible to carve out a spot on the dining room table or settle into a spot on the couch with your laptop during work hours, having a designated home office in your log home will not only boost work day productivity, it will also help create a healthy visual and mental separation between work life and home life.

Here are three strategies for creating a home working space that feels good and helps you stay focused.

Place it Properly
The key to smart placement of your home office is to consider your lifestyle. There are no right or wrong answers about where to site your office in your home, but there are things to consider. For example, if you share the home with children or grandchildren visit frequently, an office tucked into an upstairs spare bedroom — away from distractions and noise — might be ideal. However, if you share your home with only a spouse, creating a desk area in an open loft might be a viable option. If trekking upstairs isn’t appealing, carving out an office nook on the main floor might be your best best. Think through your everyday routine and season of life to guide you in the right direction for your personal situation and preferences.

Consider Lighting
Keeping energy up and staying on task is half the battle of working from home. Having the right lighting can help you with both. Low lighting can make you drowsy, not to mention make it harder for your eyes to focus on the work before you, but studies show natural light has mood-boosting effects that can positively impact performance and wellness. Position your desk in a space with ample natural light, preferably next to a window. Next, add overhead fixtures or recessed lighting. Lastly, bring in a final layer of brightness with floor and desk lamps, fitted with speciality bulbs — warm for a calming effect, cool to increase alertness.

Add Style
A utilitarian space with just the necessities may seem like the best way to stay focused, but your brain actually benefits and recharges when surrounded by elements that make you happy. Of course, the organic, naturally calming cedar walls of your log home are a great start, but go a step further by adding pictures of loved ones and a thoughtfully-chosen personal knick knack or two. (The key to a happy, personalized space? Less is more. A well-organized desk promotes productivity, but a cluttered desk can hamper focus.) Finally, don’t forget the house plant — proven to lower stress and help your brain recover from hard tasks.

Whether you’re considering a traditional log home or a timber hybrid, Ward Cedar Log Homes can help you create the perfect home — with the ideal home office space. Call us today to begin your home building journey.

Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for inspiration, events, tips and more!