How to Transform Small Home Office Spaces for Maximum Productivity

It can be hard to fit in a suitably sized office space in your own home - especially when you don’t have the capacity for it. Maybe you have a larger family or simply your office space isn’t the main priority in the logistics of things. During times when it’s essential to be working from home, you have no choice but to make do with what you’ve got, even if it feels like you have no space to work from.

A small office space can have an impact on your productivity levels and effectiveness, leaving you behind and unorganised with work. It’s vital that you focus on implementing changes in your home office and work as efficiently as possible with what you’ve got so you can boost efficiency levels and most importantly maintain mental and physical wellness.

Working from Home: Pros & Cons

Working from home has its ups and downs. The fact that you have your own space, away from distractions at work means you have the ability to concentrate and create your own environment. On the flip side, working from home means more home distractions and a struggle to create physical and emotional barriers. Shutting out family and other personal matters can be harder than you think when trying to concentrate on business work.

Space Saving Solutions

In order to really excel when working from home, maximising your working space opportunities can have a significant impact. If you’re having trouble with making space for work, here are a few tips on how best to make do with what you’ve got and maximise your productivity levels:

Benefits of Natural Lighting

Natural lighting can transform a space from feeling dark and cold to open and pleasurable. A study from Psychology Today showed that people who worked in office spaces with no windows had significantly lower productivity compared to people who worked in rooms with them. There’s a strong link between the level of light you allow into your working space and mental behavioural changes, suggesting you should aim to work in the sunniest part of your home, letting as much light in as you can.

Plus if you’re spending hours a day at your desk, natural light can totally transform your mood. A little dose of vitamin D can help reduce chances of stress, anxiety and depression, and it gives you a sense of warmth and joy that keeps you going throughout the day.

Clean & Organise Your Working Area

Your space reflects your state of mind. A clean and clear office space is vital for productivity levels, especially when there’s only a small office space you have to work in. This significantly improves the way you think as a clear space means a clear mind.

In a workplace organisation survey, 41% believed that a tidy and organised workplace is the key to enhancing productivity. 2 in 5 people admitted that a messy desk impacts their performance and 21% said it adds to their workload.

In a smaller space, a messy environment can feel like you’re not getting anywhere with way too many things literally piling on top of you. Therefore, if you want to focus on being productive and efficient when working from home, it’s vital you focus on the cleanliness and organisation of your working area. Take a look at our top tips for optimising your desk space.

Consider Ergonomics

We’re all guilty of grabbing any old chair in the house when unprepared to work from home, especially if the whole concept is new to you and you’ve never had to consider buying a decent office chair. Uncomfortable desks can lead to excruciating back pain and illness which inevitably will ruin your productivity.

Research the best office chairs to buy for home office purposes, especially if you know you’ll be working in that space for a while. Furniture that is comfortable will make you feel far better in a smaller space and is vital component to any sort of working environment.

Create a dedicated area for working and working only!

This is an important point. Many people struggle to focus 100% when at home with many distractions around, whether it be family members, electronics, chores to do, it’s inevitable that you’re going to be distracted by something during your working day.

Although your workspace may be small, making it hard to detach totally from home events, it’s important to dedicate an area of your home purely for work. This ensures a physical and emotional barrier from your work and home life. It does take a lot of discipline but it’s doable and can considerably help your ability to get your head down and work, ignoring other distracting variables within your home.

Promote workforce wellness

Wherever you decide to create your home working spot, it’s always important to focus on improving your workplace wellness. Now that we all have separate areas for working, we need to make sure colleagues and team members are getting involved in ways they can improve their workplace wellness. Tanshire Business Park have a range of ideas and ways in which you can go about this, ensuring a positive effect on your performance as a business and your company culture, even through the hard times! Here's how you can promote a culture of workplace wellness.