While staying indoors is more than likely going to be the new norm for the foreseeable future, I made it a point to curate a comfortable workspace in my home to make this season just a little bit more tolerable. We’ve had to merge work/home life rather abruptly and may not have had the opportunity to create a cozy workspace that’s most conducive to our productivity. Here are some ways that I managed to liven up my workspace that’s helped foster ongoing productivity.
Designate a corner in your home
It’s not lost on me that not everyone has a large space where they can hit up At Home Decor and create a Pinterest worthy workspace BUT wherever you reside, there is a way to make space your own. Whether it’s a kitchen table, dinner tray on the couch, or the corner of your bedroom (like yours truly). I set up desk space in the corner of my bedroom next to my television and on the other side is a huge window with beautiful natural light. My husband has a room for his office and I decided I didn’t want (or need) all that space. This corny is cozy and even though my bed is right behind me, I’m still disciplined enough to sit at this desk and work.
Invest in a comfortable chair + desk
If this is where you plan on spending most of your time, you need to be comfortable and you don’t have to break the bank to do so. I have a computer chair I got from Ikea 4 years ago that still does the job. I purchased this desk when I moved to Dallas (in June 2020) from Overstock while it was on sale. It doesn’t take up too much space in my room and I still have enough space to type and write. To ensure back support, you can even get a support pillow for your office chair like this
Find the desk here
Get some affordable shelving + crates above and around your space
Y’all, I was so pressed about getting shelves above my desk lol. It felt bare and incomplete until I had some decor and storage space surrounding me. I’m sure I was getting on my husband’s nerves but I want what I want lol. I found floating shelves that came in 3’s, so I purchased two sets from Amazon. My husband and father-in-law had them up in less than 30 minutes. All this did was give me an excuse to go to Michaels and find some fitting office decor. I also didn’t want to buy any bulky floor storage to hold office supplies and books so I found some cute crates and stacked them up from smallest to biggest. I found a nice mood light to put in the corner and I created myself a nice little ambiance.
Find shelves here
Find lamp here
Fill it with your favorite go-to books, pens, notepads, and sticky notes
It’s always the little things that help boost my productivity. Seeing some of my favorite books within arms reach and the pop of neon pink, yellow, and green sticky notes sitting on my desk ready for me to tear and write the world’s next greatest invention. Also, pens! When the world was open and I worked in academia, I LIVED for conferences because they always had the best pens. I’m a fan of the Pilot G-2 07. These sound frivolous but trust me when you are working with tools that you enjoy looking at, it makes working that much easier or at least enjoyable.
Find pens here
Stock up on some smell-good candles
Whether I am working or not, I need my place to smell good. I have a candle-buying problem and I don’t want help with it. What’s my favorite scent you ask? Sweater Weather by Bath & Body Works but anything vanilla based is a close second. Candles calm my mood and seeing the silhouette of the flames bouncing off the wall is so soothing.
Curate a playlist with your favorite tunes
Last but certainly not least, I have to have music playing while I am working. I have never been able to work in silence. Typically, I’ll search for Coffee House Jazz Music on youtube and let the playlist run for however long I am working but when I’m in a zone, I got Stevie Wonder, Earth, Wind & Fire, and Frankie Beverly & Maze cued up. It takes me a little longer to get through a task (like writing this blog post) because I am jamming and swaying to tunes but this is the experience that I curated for myself to be productive. Hasn’t failed me yet.
Find playlist here
Honorable Mention: GET YOU SOME SPEAKERS! Self-explanatory.
Considering building out a workspace in your home or have already? Let me know in the comments? What are the essentials for your workspace?
