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Well once again Minnesota is trapped in the Polar Vortex which I have renamed RFCVortex (Really Freakin Cold Vortex) and more than ever, I am thankful I work from home.
Our family is lucky enough to “not have to go far” in times of extreme weather (like this whole winter) and every day the temp dips into the negatives, I am uber grateful for that fact. Hubby works one mile from home and takes the youngest with him to school. I deliver our oldest to Middle School which is a whole 1.5 miles from our house. Now I know most families aren’t this lucky, but I feel truly blessed to be able to say this.
That being said, it’s obvious I spend a whhooollleeee lot of time at home in my office. It’s my Happy Place in addition to being my place of business. But it’s my Happy Place for reason and that reason is that I work to create an atmosphere that is comfortable, effective and nurturing. After many years being trapped in a windowless box when I worked the 9-5 world, I can attest to the importance of making the space you inhabit for daily work as special and comfortable as possible. I have work at home friends who have kick-butt work spaces complete with a fireplace (lucky buggers), but that’s not an option for me. I inhabit a tiny extra bedroom in our story-and-a-half house work and I have no complaints, I just need to be creative about my usage of space. Whether you have a corner office in the sewing room, or a large room designated as your office, it’s critical your space feels welcoming and happy or you will dread spending time there. You don’t have to spend millions to achieve this either. Here are a few ideas on Making Your Home Office a Reflection of YOU.
Keep it Organized:
I have a bad case of Piles. Like piles of paper, piles of folders, piles of books. I am a very visual person and I just like things where I can see them. But it is important to keep your “piles” down to a dull roar. Purge, sort and file often to keep your space as tidy as possible.
Personal touches:
I love twinkly lights so when I got these illuminated branches for Christmas, I was happy, happy, happy. The extra stuff like the sparkly “Laugh” is another personal touch or “piece of me” I add to my workspace to make it…well…MINE.
Element of Fun:
You many be thinking Holy Cheeseball, Batman! but remember when I mentioned I like twinkly lights? I’ve taken it a step further by adding Christmas icicle lights in my window. And YES….I plan to leave them up long after Christmas has ended.
Comfortable chair:
When I left my place of employment almost 3 years ago (which happened to be an office products company), I splurged and bought a high-quality, ergonomically-correct chair for my office. For as many hours as my large fanny is IN that chair, I figured it darn well better be comfortable. I highly recommend any of you doing the same. You only have one back, don’t trash it by spending 8 hours a day sitting in a crappy sewing room chair or bargain-basement chair from the thrift store. Invest in your comfort and your productivity will go up. I promise.
Reminders of Positive Things:
We could all use a little nurturing nudge on a regular basis, that’s why I include positive sayings and motivational thoughts in my workspace.
Reminders of Goals:
In business and in travel, it’s always helpful to have maps and reminders to keep us from getting lost, getting off-track and losing our way. ‘Nuff said.
An Office Buddy:
I know this is not an option for everyone, but I highly recommend an “office buddy” or someone (critter) to keep you company during the day. In case you can’t tell from the picture, this is my obese, lazy adorable Cocker Spaniel named Fred. Fred is great company during my work day, except for the snoring and doggy farts. But I forgive him 🙂
So that’s my office, what about yours? What do you do with your home office space to make it uniquely YOU?
I share a home office space with my husband but it’s really mine. He just has a corner of it. We just moved a couple of months ago and we’re remodeling the house from top to bottom. Haven’t touched this room yet so it’s not pleasant! In fact, just told husband I need his help working on it today. He’s going to help me think through what I need and install some shelves for me.
But in the meantime, I think you’re right about personalizing the space. I’ve never added any personal features like lights or decorations. Maybe it’s time. Our previous home office space was pretty visible so I tried to keep it clean and stream lined. But the new one is off the beaten path so I can do what I want.
My dog buddy doesn’t like coming up here. She’s getting pretty old and she’s not too keen on steps (six steps to get up here). She doesn’t actually mind coming up – it’s going down that bothers her. But I miss her – dog farts and snoring, too!
Visiting from SITS.