Reinvent Work-From-Home

Reinvent Your Work-from-home Space

It’s mid-winter and you notice the blank wall behind your desk, along with a messy pile of papers zig-zagging between empty coffee mugs. You feel as sluggish as the grey sky—unmotivated. You turn away from the austere wall and plant yourself on the couch, face the window and the oncoming traffic of the folks who exit your building. You might have guessed where this scene takes place—working from home. 

You take a lunch break and meander through the half-deserted main street. For months, you have passed a flower shop daily and you look through the window – while stretched on the dog leash. You’ve imagined how you would jazz up your own work-from-home space with, yes, flowers. It’s a start, anyway. The pots are planted like portraits in the window: an elephant, a giraffe, a unicorn. Online, there was a hippopotamus. These lift your mood. You’d like one of each, along with a purple hyacinth for $5.95, a promising sign of spring. You want your succulents to live, no thrive. And while you’re at it, you hang a poster over the blank wall. Better. And voîla! You’re working from home inspired. 

You can sense the joy and relief when the makeover is complete. Now, you feel it for yourself. But there’s more to it than how a space looks, it’s how you use it. There are other challenges that come with working from home, among them blurry lines, and structure. It helps to set up your day with breaks and dedicated work time. Small tasks might contribute to clearing your head and give you the next great idea to complete your task. If you want to bust a craving, try this:

• Wash the counter
• Scrub the latest dishes
• Chop up the vegetables you need for your next meal
• Take out the garbage
• Water your plants
• Take a stretch break
• Do a meditation
• If you’re doing a mundane task, listen to a podcast to spark engagement
• Take a walk for a meeting, where possible

These tasks can create a barrier, so that you’re not mindlessly consuming. They can also re-energize you, rest your eyes from the screen, clear your mind, and give you a sense of achievement. You can be imaginative – divide the sections of your day into special teas. You might even have a tea stand by your desk to save you the trouble. This can keep you away from the fridge and in a substance-free zone. 

It also helps to put limits on your space and your time. Set boundaries around the couch during the day and shut off by 6:00pm (if possible) and enter into a physical activity – cooking, walking, or talking on the phone – to change your mindset. This will prevent you from falling out of the day and into a beverage. Even a lighting panel on your desk can be useful. You can turn your mindset with smart lights – blue lighting to cue that it’s evening – put your phone away, and settle into an old-school movie night in your practical and inspiring new space. 

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