Everybody knows that being a mom isn’t easy. The cleaning, the cooking, getting the kids to bed, managing the bills, getting the kids to school, keeping track of all their extracurricular activities… The list goes on and on, and when you throw in a “regular” job in the mix, well, you can see just how difficult things can get. For this reason, you deserve to make things as comfortable and as easy for yourself in other areas as you can. Something that can really make your day a bit easier is working from home.
Now, not everybody is fortunate enough to work from home. However, for those that can, its benefits are quite obvious. You have another source of income, a bit more motivation, a career or trade, while at the same time not losing any time on commuting, always being there for your kids, and just, in general, having a lot of flexibility. For all these reasons, we have taken the liberty of wiring up a couple of tips to make your home office more beautiful and pleasant.
A clean, well-light place…
When choosing the place where you want to work, or just setting up your own little home office, you should take into consideration how your lighting is set up. Proper lighting can increase your mood and productivity, and just make the entire place look nicer. Trust us, you won’t really feel motivated to work if you’re dealing with eyestrain whenever you sit at your desk.
Try to get as much natural light as possible – it’s much healthier than artificial light, and looks a lot better too. Its availability of course really depends on how your home is set up. Try to get lamps and lighting that mimic natural lighting as much as possible. Furthermore, try to get lighting that you can adjust. Sometimes you will want something clear and direct, while other times you may prefer softer, warmer light for a cozier atmosphere.
Location, location, location
Now, if you want to be as efficient as possible and make the most out of your home office, it would be a good idea to have a separate, dedicated room, only for your work. You want to be far away from any disturbances, but still close enough that you can be there to check on your roast, or see what your little ones are up to.
There is another important aspect to this – namely, you want to be able to switch quickly, in your head, from mommy mode to work mode. This is much easier when you have a space all to yourself for your work. The moment you sit in that chair, you will find it easier to just switch.
Now, as far as design and tricks go, we understand that not everybody has a spare room all to themselves. But don’t lose hope, there are some tricks you can try. Get some hanging curtains and some portable walls, and make your own little office in your bedroom or your living room. You can also use the garage – remember, these aren’t just for the boys. As long as you have space, your own little nook, that you use for work every day, it’s enough.
Minimalism and beauty
You should know that we can only handle so much stimuli at once. First, we have obvious distractions like loud noises, uncomfortable seating, yelling, things being in front of our screens… We all know this, and we how to deal with them (if we can at all). However, you also need to watch out for things that distract us subconsciously.
Too much clutter, a messy desk, nonsense in the background – all this saps our attention and ruins concentration. It also can make us daydream, and just steal away our attention. Be honest with yourself and learn what, for you, is creative chaos, and what is just a mess incurred by laziness.
However, this doesn’t mean you should have a sparse, ascetic workspace. Add some personal items, things that mean something to you. Furthermore, just because things are orderly doesn’t mean they can’t be beautiful. Work on that, add plants, paintings, let your imagination run wild.
Remember, you will spend a solid chunk of your day here, so do your best to make it as fun as possible. Think about the color of the paint on your walls, when choosing any new office fit-outs you should consult an expert. They will definitely tell you a bit about color psychology, and how it influences our thoughts and behavior.
Get a mommy co-op going
Working from home every day while the kids are at school and your husband is in the office can be lonely sometimes. Sure, you have the freedom and flexibility of working from home, but you don’t really get to hang out with anyone from work. But, have you considered getting some work buddies anyway?
There are many things you can do to make working from home easier, and people know this. More and more women work full or part-time jobs from home. So why not get some neighbours and girlfriends over at your place, and get some work done? You can even change things up by having your home be the resident office for one week, then somebody else’s for the next week.
You guys can share tips, have more fun, and motivate each other to work. You can also get some tips on how to work more efficiently from more experienced women, and get some design tips to make your home office look better as well.
Bring in More Light
If you install a mirror on the wall, consider placing it on the opposite side of the window. When its bright and sunny outside, the sun will shine right into the bedroom and reflect off the mirror. The additional brightness may eliminate some of the dark shadows that may appear in different parts of the bedroom while naturally making the room look a lot brighter. Not only does a mirror bring in more light, it’s great to have inside of your bedroom because you make want to check your hair, makeup, or overall look before you go out somewhere.
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About the Author
Sarah Jessica Smith
Guest Contributor
Sarah Jessica Smith is a young blogger from Sydney. She is in love with life and all the things that can make her daily routine easier. She loves to write about home improvement, lifestyle, and all the small things that make life such a great adventure.