The Coronavirus pandemic has certainly been detrimental to many sectors of the society and has completely changed the way people live. Due to the regulations that have been put in place to curb the spread of the deadly illness, many social norms have been altered. Most countries have closed down their borders in a bid to avoid importing any newly infected people from other countries; this has taken a toll on the global economy and threatened the closure of innumerable businesses. Employees have also been thrown a curveball since many have now been forced to complete work obligations from their homes.
In order to do this without having to compromise on productivity, you should consider creating a dedicated workspace. One of the most suitable places to set up your work-from-home station is in the living room due to its multi-functional nature. Still, if you’re unfamiliar with remote working, you might find yourself in need of ideas on how to decorate living room walls so as to suit your new home office. In addition, when creating a home office in the living room, it would be best to separate the working and living spaces so as to ensure maximum efficiency; thus, it wouldn’t be wise to work from your sofa or coffee table.
More than 10 percent of American employees are currently working from home. The most important thing about a work-from-home station is its location. Finding the perfect place in the living room to create your workspace can be quite tough since there are several things to consider such as proper lighting and the overall aesthetic of the room. To help you make an informed decision, here are a few ideas you can incorporate when setting up your remote office in the sitting room.
Under The Stairs
If your house is a storey building with an open staircase, you can make use of the space under the stairs to create a unique and practical workspace. In most cases, this space usually goes unused; therefore, creating your remote workspace here won’t require you to rearrange much of your living room in order to create more space for your desk and other furniture. For you to fully utilize this space, you should consider placing your desk on the furthest end of the staircase and putting any extra furniture such as storage units on the lower side.
Dedicate a Corner of the Room
Setting aside a particular corner of your family room to act as a small workspace is a great way to make a workstation without using up too much space. This works great for people who have small living rooms. Keeping your office space in the periphery will enable you to work without getting in the way of other activities that may be going on simultaneously. In addition, using compact furniture will ensure that the general aesthetic of your living room isn’t ruined or inconsistent.
Behind Your Couch
For those whose family rooms have an open floor plan configuration, creating a workstation behind the couch can be a great option. In order to pull this off perfectly, you’d need to float your couch; which entails placing it some distance from the wall. Apart from giving the whole room a nice facelift, floating furniture can help get rid of the dead space found in the middle of large living rooms. Having your desk behind a floating couch makes better use of the space and brings about a sense of organization to the area.
Utilizing Unused Spaces
There are many nooks and crannies in a typical home that can be utilized to create great workspaces. For instance, you can turn an unused closet into a small home office with the help of a few retouches. The use of small furniture can help you capitalize on the limited space available in such small spaces. In addition, you can incorporate overhead shelves as storage units in order to avoid using bulky furniture. What’s more, in order to prevent feeling claustrophobic, you can paint the walls a bright shade and decorate the room.
If you have a recess in your family room, converting it into a workstation would be a great way to make good use of it. The key to making the most of such places is using subtle office furniture that isn’t imposing.
Optimizing Your Workspace
Once you’ve pointed out the most suitable area to convert into a workstation, the only thing left is optimizing it to provide the best working conditions. Here are a few tips that’ll help you make this a reality.
Light It Up
A very important aspect to consider when creating a home office is lighting. Your workstation should be in a place that is well lit, preferably with a lot of natural light which is invigorating and soft enough to work with without harming your eyes. Moreover, studies have shown that the lack of natural light can be detrimental to the working experience. You should also have a floor or desk lamp at your workstation since using the living room lights for working tends to be harmful to your eyes.
Tidy Up
It goes without saying that a cluttered workspace leads to a cluttered mind. If you have lots of unnecessary items lying around your workspace, concentrating on your work is likely to be an uphill task. In addition, living rooms are quite susceptible to accumulating clutter; hence, constantly cleaning your workstation is key in retaining productivity.
Get Rid of Distractions
Family rooms are typically used for relaxing activities such as watching television and surfing the web; therefore, distractions tend to be prevalent. Such distractions are likely to hinder you from working, hence keeping them at bay is necessary if you want to get work done. Keep devices such as phones and remote controls out of reach in order to avoid piling up your work due to a lack of concentration.
Conclusion
The COVID-19 pandemic has made remote working the new normal and many people are just now coming to terms with it. The truth of the matter is that many individuals don’t have a spare room to use as a workspace; ergo, repurposing a part of the sitting room is perhaps the best option. Although working from home can be a rather difficult transition, employing the tips provided above will ensure that the change won’t be too hard.