Many of us are displaced during this pandemic. The impact ranges from changing the way some companies operate to having to work in a new location. With the latter, for most of us, it means it’s bringing their work from the office to their homes. For some, settling into this new routine is easy after figuring out a system that works for them. This is true for those who work from their home office even before the pandemic happened. Even in the comforts and distractions of their home, being productive at work is a cinch for them.
You might still struggle to make your designated area in the house as your office workable. It’s ok if you’re still fumbling to adjust your lifestyle to this change. One of the factors that largely contribute to this is a cluttered desk or cluttered workspace. If you’re someone who still hasn’t found an effective routine in an environment that is familiar to you, then there are things you need to reshape in your workplace. To help you, below are some tips to help you focus on your work even when in your home.
Organize and Define a System
Most of us will agree that a messy desk is already the habitat for a few individuals, even without the pandemic happening. Maybe working with items scattered in different places all over your desk or with various working materials all tangled up with each other is a system that has worked for you despite having few dragging problems.
But imagine a workplace where all of your tools, files, and basically what you need to perform is just within your reach. You don’t have to go through the mountain of paper to find that single printout or dig in the netherworlds of your drawers to find your puncher. To work seamlessly, you need to clear out your desk shelves. If your desk shelf holds more items than it is capable of, then it’s time to consider looking at more options for a desk shelf. Maybe the one you’re using doesn’t maximize your space that well. Finding suitable materials to organize is also a must to keep things tidy. If you want more options for a desk shelf, then Storables.com is a recommended place to look for it.
Having a streamlined workplace system is essential if you want to get your work done faster. Remove barriers from getting it done, and speed up your thought and creativity process. It may look like a significant challenge to tackle. But investing your time in grouping items, giving them a good home, labeling containers, and getting rid of those excessive materials that sit around and are not needed for work – will save you time in the long term.
Define the Function
The nature of our work and the way we do it are unique for each of us. The way we get things done effectively depends on what working style works best for us. To organize our work, we need to identify the best way to function in what we need to do. Do you need a mini drawer beside your desk table? What files of paper do you usually need in reach? Will cork boards or sticky notes help you remember things, or do you need to elevate the level of your monitor?
Defining the function of your space and materials will usually depend on what works for you. Some of us have already worked out a system to do this, and it doesn’t necessarily get done in one sitting. To know how to effectively use space and know what materials you need to reach, you must be familiar with your workflow. However, even so, you can still find yourself redesigning again as you see or realize a better way of getting your work done.
If you lack space for your equipment or materials, maximizing space by prioritizing your work tools will help.
Define Your Flow
Most of us also have different working paces. But what is similar to us is the need to take a break. This is also where some of us overly succeed or remarkably fail at doing. Some may find the distraction of a bed beside a workplace like sirens calling us unproductivity. Or the sight of our refrigerator or phones, the most significant distraction of all time. You might think you can’t escape these things because you’re in the zone of your home.
But you can. If you find your bed too distracting, then working up a routine every time you get up to immediately fix it so you get your mindset on getting things done is one tip. However, if it still allures you to lay down and sleep, then the best thing to do is relocate your desk to a different area of your house, a place that helps you get going and grind. Set the mood for your site, and make sure that everything around you enables you to maintain focus.
The other side of working efficiently is also to remind yourself to take breaks. For some, when they start focusing on work, they find it hard to step back and relax. This leads to the opposite desired effect in productivity. Sitting in front of your laptop or computer all day long to get work done will strain both your physical and mental muscles.
Taking your mind off work by doing simple movements like taking 15 minutes to walk around is helpful. Doing some basic exercise routines to get your blood flowing will also help you release stress. This enables you to relax and refocuses your mind. The flow of your thoughts and creativity depends on finding a healthy work and rest routine, so don’t take it intensely or too lightly.
Takeaway
By organizing and setting up your work area, it is unrealistic to always have it uncluttered. There will be times when your desk will look like a mess. But if you have a system in place and know where everything belongs. And you have given the time to assign an adequate area for them to be stored, then getting your work done will be more enjoyable.
One place you can visit if you are looking for desk items to improve your home office is Storables.com. They have organizing materials that range from kitchen materials to garage tools. You can browse their website to look for intelligent ways to organize your space or give it a different look. Working from home might even be a chance that you will soon prefer. A work area helps you function more efficiently and is easy to reset every time it gets cluttered.
