Taking some time to work at home? This is a great opportunity to practice design psychology and create your space to support you during this time. Perhaps you have an office already set up and ready for you or maybe you will be working from the kitchen, either way, there are small things we can do to set up our space and ourselves for success.
Each person works differently and thrives in their own unique environment. For myself, I do my best work in a clean, tidy and peaceful environment. My husband does his best work in airport lounges and restaurants. So this isn’t about creating a one-size-fits-all approach but rather, getting clear on who we are and what we need in our space to do our best work.
Take a moment and ask yourself these 5 questions:
- Where do I do my best most exciting/inspiring/motivating work?
- What is it about this place that allows me to do my best work?
- How do I feel when I am in that place?
- What space at home brings me closest to that feeling?
- How do I add to this space to continue to add to that feeling?
Design psychology isn’t about the space, it’s about you. So, use this information to set up a space where you will feel inspired, excited and motivated to do your work. Once you know the answers to the above questions, you will know where to start.
Where is it that you will be working in your home?
Decide on a place that is practical yet joyful. Somewhere you can sit with good posture, stand if necessary and have all that you need accessible. A room or space that has good natural light and as much air flow as possible. If you need a quiet space to focus, pay attention to that. If you are used to a loud, energetic office, perhaps the kitchen table is the place for you. Ask the questions above and decide what environment gets you the most excited and then build upon it from there.
What do you need to add/remove/shift/change/incorporate to allow this space to support you?
Can you relate to needing a clean and clutter-free environment to be able to focus? Pick an area in the home with less clutter or distraction or clear the clutter before you get started; even that will feel amazing!
Want some smooth jazz and a candle? Go for it. Want two monitors, hook them up! Need absolute silence to meet a deadline? Noise-cancelling headphones are a great invention! Whatever you need to support you to do your best work is only going to help.
Find what works for you and use your space to support you not drain you. Working from home may be new and have its challenges however, we can find ways to make it easier.
A few more tips to get you started:
- Have water at your desk. Having it right there will encourage you to drink more and this is one way we can continue to take care of our immune systems.
- Have a notepad handy for any to-do’s. Write it down and get it out of your head. You may not be able to get to it for a few days so having it written down will allow you to remember without having it take up space in your head. Mental energy is important.
- Sit and stand alternatively. Get up when taking a call or switch from sitting to standing every hour. Walk to the bathroom furthest away from you. Find ways to get up and moving. Walk the dog; he’s at the door waiting anyways.
- Photos of loved ones. Place a photo of a loved one or a pet in your working space. The serotonin produced in your brain when looking at it will help strengthen our immune systems.
- Music. If music isn’t a distraction for you, play it. All day, throughout the house. Even for the kids. Especially for the kids. Music has been proven to increase feelings of happiness, pleasure, and joy. And that’s just good for everyone.
- Discuss boundaries. Take the time to discuss with the kids what your work space and hours will look like so they are clear on what to expect. Just telling them to leave you alone because you’re working may be confusing to them. Having this conversation up front will allow everyone to be on the same page.
- Keep it tidy. You may be working in a common space in the home that is used by other people or for other things. Being conscious of your workspace and the mess that may come with it, will keep the little things from becoming big things. Being conscious of one another and how we are showing up in shared spaces is important. Take 5 minutes at the end of the day to tidy up and put your stuff away or back in order so that the space may be used for its next function.
- Time blocking. Maybe your schedule will be different now that you are working from home. You may have kids to attend to or chores that can be done. There are benefits to working from home and there may be some challenges. Being clear about your schedule and when you are going to do what, not only helps you stay on track but also keeps things clear for other family members. Time blocking can be a useful time management tool especially when our routines might be a bit off or unclear.
- Healthy eating. Don’t forget to time block for lunch and dinner. One of the benefits of working from home is access to home-cooked meals. Take advantage of this time at home and block some time to make yourself a healthy lunch. Then block some more time to enjoy it away from your desk.
- End of day closure. We are used to having a commute home from work and for some, we used this time as an opportunity to disconnect from work as we made our way home. We may not have the same commute but we will still travel to work, even if it’s just down the stairs or hallway. Use this time to consciously disconnect at the end of the day. This helps from bringing unnecessary work stress ‘home’ or to the dinner table. Take 2 minutes at the end of your work day, no matter what space you are working in, to choose to leave work and work stress at the work station. It will be there when you come back tomorrow morning. Being conscious of the boundaries between work and home will be important, especially if our work is now in our homes.
Working at home may take some adjusting as you may not know yet just how your space will work or function for you. That’s okay too. Take a day or two to see how you function in the space, what works for you and what doesn’t and then do this exercise. Sometimes, just observing is the necessary practice.
Whatever space you may be working in, have it work for you. Not the other way around.
Live well,
Cher
