Working from home can often be challenging! It is super easy to get distracted, and if any anxiety creeps up, it\’s almost impossible to pay attention to the task on hand! But, if you take the time to create a peaceful home office, you can eliminate many distractions and reduce anxiety!
Designing a Peaceful Home Office
Use the Psychology of Color to Your Advantage
Different colors can create different moods. For example, red and yellow, especially when together, can induce hunger (that’s why McDonalds uses red and yellow). That said, it’s really important to choose a color that will help you relax.
If you love bright bold colors (obviously, we do… vibrant pink) use them as accents and choose a softer, cooler color for the majority of the room.
Maximize Your Space
Whether your space is limited or abundant, it is important to use it to your advantage. As a perk, doing so can help you stay clean and organized!
Make use of the wall space! Install shelves, hang mirrors (it can make it feel brighter and larger), use the space under your desk, etc. There are now many small (yet effective) storage options that can tuck perfectly away and help you maximize your space!
Brighten the Office
We touched on this above by suggesting the addition of mirrors throughout the space, but having a bright office is so important that we are mentioning it again!
Now, the trick with light is to pick the best option to both keep you calm (often more yellow tones) and help keep you awake and alert (which is usually a brighter light that leans towards blue light). It’s okay to place various lights with different hues throughout the office, and turn them on and off at various times of the day. Perhaps use the blue-er lighters in the morning, and start leaning towards the yellow lights in the evening!
Perhaps add a himalayan salt lamp to your space! Now, there is a lot of skepticism revolving around these lamps, but its worth a try. Sometimes even a placebo effect can make a massive difference! Plus, they are really pretty and therefore, can create a nice ambience.
Use the Psychology of Smell to Your Advantage
Similar to color, certain smells can evoke different emotions. That said, use this to your advantage by adding an oil diffuser to your office. Then, pick scents such as frankincense, chamomile, sage, and marjoram to help keep you cool and collected! When you need a pick-me-up, grab an invigorating scent such as wintergreen or lemon!
For more essential oil ideas, check out this blog!
Listen to Music
Music can also play a major role in helping our brains switch into various states of mind. For example, think of how your entire mood can shift when listening to a favorite song! The neat thing is, thanks to technology and research, there are many other musical options that can really help you reach specific states of mind. One of our favorites is Brain.FM!
The team behind Brain.FM have really honed in on the ability to add various underlying sounds that transform our ability to focus, sleep, relax, and meditate! In addition to this, they have a lot of scientific research to back their claims.
Stay Organized
Nothing can hijack the look and feel of a room like a mess. That said, once you have created your peaceful haven, do your best to keep it clean and organized! Here are a few tips!
Eliminate Clutter
To do so, make it a habit to sort through mail and papers at least once a week. Then either file what needs filing and throw away/shred what needs to go. Additionally, try to opt for paperless options whenever possible.
Create and Stick to a Cleaning Schedule
Try to dust and vacuum your office once every two days. Doing so will help keep it clean, and shorten the amount of time it will take when you need to deep clean! Once a month, do a deep clean! Keeping your office clean will really help you enjoy it.
Keep Work and Personal Items Separate
Doing so will not only reduce clutter, it will also help you to set boundaries and stay on task. If needed, designate a certain part of your home for your personal mail, and nick-nacks.
Final Thoughts
If you are currently working from home, we suggest trying a few of these options and see what works for you. Always remember that a peaceful home office will help you stay focused, calm, and ultimately, more productive!