“Work from home” has become the new normal. According to Statistics Canada, about 40% of the workforce moved to remote work by the end of March 2020. And, in early 2021, 32% of Canadian employees still worked most of their hours from home. (These numbers might seem somewhat low, but remember how much of the workforce consists of customer service, manufacturing, construction, and other jobs that must be done in person.)

The transition from office to home is not an easy one, as many of us have learned. Distractions from children, pets, and other people in the household make work more challenging at times. There is a strong temptation to stream, snack, and do anything other than work some days. But the greatest challenge of all is trying to work from home when you don’t have a home office space.

Why You Need a Home Office

Have you ever tried working from your living room couch or your dining table? If you have, then you probably found yourself struggling to concentrate. Maybe you stretched out and settled in, but then got distracted by something else on your computer, or you kept getting up to go to the fridge for snacks. And at the end of the day, coming back to that spot to relax just felt...wrong.

The design of a space impacts our behaviours within that space. For example, your brain associates the comfortable design of a living room with lounging and watching TV, and the dining room with eating. Working in these spaces can be difficult because you naturally want to be doing something different while in that space.

If you train your brain to see these areas as “work spaces,” then you may also have trouble letting go of your work at the end of the day.

Separating work and personal life is extremely important for mental health. When the two start to blend, the anxiety and stress of one begins to affect the other.

By creating a distinct space for your work, you can design an area that will help you to be productive.

How to Create the Perfect Home Office

If possible, allocate a specific room in your home as an office. That way, you can step out of your work space at the end of the day, and close out distractions while you work.

If you can’t use a separate room, create a distinct space that you only use when working. Maybe that is a corner of a bedroom, or an area in your basement.

Once you have your space picked out, here are a few things you will need to create a space that will allow you to be comfortable, focussed, and productive:

1. A Good Desk

No matter what kind of work you do, you will likely need a desk. Select one that makes the most sense for your needs. For example, if you handle a lot of paperwork, you might want a desk with lots of drawers and shelves for storage. If you tend to do a lot of sitting in front of a computer, you may want a standing desk, which can be adjusted to various heights to help with your posture.

2. An Ergonomic Chair

This can quickly become a costly purchase, but if you spend a lot of time sitting at your desk, then it will be well worth the cost. Look for a chair that has good lumbar support so that you won’t end up slouching or hurting your back. Depending on your needs, you can find some at a reasonable price, or you can invest in a gaming chair (as it turns out, gamers have realized how important it is to have good posture when sitting at a computer for long hours).

3. Light

If your office does not have good natural lighting, then you will want to invest in a desk lamp. Light serves a couple of purposes in an office space. Firstly, it prevents eye strain. Secondly, light affects productivity and mood. Choose a lamp that provides a comfortable amount of light in your workspace. You may want to consider a sun lamp or therapy light, which imitates natural lighting throughout the day.

4. A Good Computer & Reliable Internet

With the popularity of remote work, and the increasing prevalence of digital technologies, it is very important to have a trustworthy computer and Internet setup for most jobs. 5% of Canadian workers who report being less productive since working from home state the reason as difficulty with Internet speed. In order to stream meetings, connect to video calls, or upload files, you will need a fast and consistent internet connection.

When it comes down to the design of your office space, that is up to you. Add colours that evoke a feeling of calm or joy for you. Purchase some organizational tools or decor to fill out your desk with useful and cheerful items.

Make sure that, whatever space you choose to use, your home office is a place that you will want to return to every day. Make it a place that you would be happy to work in.