Zen Home Office Design Ideas

Having an established home office enables you to leave household distractions behind and focus on work. Ideally, it would be a separate room but if that’s not possible, try to find a space elsewhere-corners make great workspaces. You could also convert a closet, attic, or long hallway into an office.

Clutter adds unnecessary stress to your day. To rid yourself of distractions, clear off your desk, discarding any old documents you no longer need or store them electronically. Sort and organize the papers you need to keep into folders and place them out of view. 

Go through your desk drawers and throw away any old business cards, post-it notes, contact lists, or other unneeded objects. Use storage bins, baskets, and filing cabinets to keep your office supplies organized and out of sight. Finally, take time to declutter and organize your workspace at the end of each workday. 

Keeping your workspace neat and organized will allow you to work more productively and efficiently.  When you take things out to use such as books or office supplies, return them to their designated spots.

Plants help create a less chaotic environment, generate oxygen, and remove toxins from the air. Add a few potted plants to your home office. Succulents are ideal as they are easy to care for and only need watering once a month. If plants aren’t your thing, The Muse suggests a terrarium for a touch of the outdoors. 

Natural light is an automatic mood booster. Not only does it provide you with an infusion of Vitamin D, but it also brightens up your workspace and improves your mood. If possible, locate your home office in an area offering natural light and position your desk facing a window. If natural light isn’t an option, use bulbs mimicking daylight to get your dose of light.

To set a relaxing tone in your home office, you need a comfortable and ergonomic chair.  Since you spend a lot of time in your office chair, Virtual Vocations recommends putting comfort over decor when selecting this piece. Select a chair with an adjustable seat, armrests and excellent back support, as well as a swivel base and wheels.

In a home office, colors have more importance than you think. Color impacts your mood, energy, and productivity and sets the tone for your workspace. 21 Oak advises choosing a neutral color such as beige, ivory, white or olive green to promote calm and focus. 

Hang a bulletin board or whiteboard on the wall near your desk to highlight your to-do list. Having a visible list will keep you more focused on completing tasks. Cross the items off after you finish each one.

Let your personality shine to inspire you. Hang family photos, your favorite piece of artwork, an inspirational quotation or another item with sentimental meaning on your wall. 

If you find silence distracting, stay focused on your work by adding calming noise such as meditation music, white noise or a desktop water fountain. Choose whatever sounds you find calming and relaxing.

With all the electronics you use every day, including your phone charger, printer and computer, your desk and workspace can become a maze of cords and cables. Go wireless as much as possible and use a cord organizer to hide the rest of the clutter.

Your home office should be a place where you feel calm, relaxed and productive. Use the ideas in this article to create a Zen workspace that will inspire and motivate you to do your best work.