New times bring new opportunities. For a while, I have wanted to create a place to share my ideas and design insights. With this extra time for creativity and plenty of time with my thoughts, I figured why not start now?
As most of us are working from home, we are gaining a new understanding of what prepares us to work to our full potential. Companies have a rare opportunity to reshape the workplace, and designers have been given this incredible chance to innovate and set these new standards. At TDG we are striving to create an impact that will emerge as a positive, useful outcome of the current pandemic.
I wanted to start this blog by talking about your personal workspace. A later post will propose new guidelines and models for future workspaces, and how to implement these solutions post-COVID.
For now, here is the ultimate guide to the successful home-office.
Choose a suitable location
It is so important to select an appropriate space, separate from your other personal areas, to use as a place to work. Mine is in an extra bedroom in my apartment. This means I have a set space to do work and concentrate on it. When I walk into that room, I know I am there for business.
Declutter your space
Remove anything you do not need. If it is not relevant to work, get rid of it. Your home office does not need to be a place for clutter. Since my office is a spare room, it became inundated with old things that piled up with nowhere else to be. To be productive, I had to remove anything that was not work-related and keep the space clean and organized.
Create an ergonomic setup
Choose a surface and chair where you can sit with your back up straight, and have your computer at eye level. The last thing you need is to be uncomfortable. I find it highly demotivating if I have to keep adjusting my position, and also very distracting.
