Don’t worry, this is not another article on ways to be more productive while working from home. Nor is it a reminder that our work, home, and play spaces have all been smushed together to form a place where many of us are finding it difficult to work, learn, and relax.
To celebrate the shortest month of the year, I’m focusing on 28 ways (in 28 days) to add some oomph to your home office, wherever that may be – perhaps a cozy room overlooking a meadow, a nook under the stairs, or a kitchen counter next to the toaster.
28 ways to rev up your workspace
Place a nice lamp on your work surface to use instead of overhead lighting.
Keep wipes on hand to give your desk a regular cleaning.
If you have a dedicated home office, make sure to display a few things you absolutely love.
Use your current stash of office supplies before purchasing new items.
Take a few minutes to consider your vision for the space. Then make a list of goals, priorities, and the steps needed to make your dream home office.
Maintain order with a weekly 15 minute clean up.
Bring some life into the space by adding a plant or two.
Change your thinking: decluttering and organizing is an ongoing process, not a one-time thing.
Whenever you feel overwhelmed by your office clutter, start tossing (or recycling).
Invest in good quality office supplies. Nothing worse than a cheap stapler ruining your project.
Remember how happy a clutter-free office space makes you feel. Pull up that feeling whenever you want to give up on office organization.
Regularly remove paper you want to shred by taking it to Office Depot, the UPS Store, or for big jobs, call Shred-It.
Use the back of a door for office supply storage using a shoe organizer.
Keep a nice notebook or journal for big ideas, fun things to do, or places to go.
Create your own personal mantra such as, “Do I love or need this?” and use it frequently.
Enhance the space with some nice artwork or décor.
Rid your home office of electronic waste by taking items to Best Buy, or a local e-Waste collection site.
Create a file (physical or digital, or both) to store all those notes that praise you. Take photos of them with your phone also so you can pull them up when you need a lift.
Invest in a standing desk, balance ball or ergonomic chair.
Pull your mind out of daily work by prominently displaying photos from happy moments of your life.
Use wall pockets or rolling file carts to free up your work surface.
Eliminate anything that is not useful or beautiful.
Create a vision board and regularly review and update it.
Place your desk facing the room, not the wall.
Imagine how you want to feel in your home office. Work toward making that feeling become reality.
Tackle papers that are on your desk first. Dealing with items in plain site will lead you to want to work on hidden files.
Remove anything ugly from your office.
Earn some money by selling your old smartphones and devices online.