Desk Ideas for a Productive Work-from-home Experience

Photo courtesy of Nelly Antoniadou via Unsplash

The year 2020 hasn’t been easy. With the outbreak of COVID-19, various forms of community quarantine were implemented around the country to help slow the spread of the virus. You yourself probably had to make huge adjustments in your life to keep safe from the outbreak, including shifting to a work-from-home set-up that's likely new to you. Working from home can be pretty daunting if you don’t have a dedicated workspace in your house or in your condo. You need great desk ideas and a work-from-home-friendly environment; so that you can keep a semblance of healthy work-life balance in these trying times. Having that dedicated productivity area in your condo is so important particularly now when you're stuck indoors all the time. The good thing is that there are many simple office desk organization ideas that you can apply to your condo workspace. You can easily turn any surface into a productivity space with the right DIY desk ideas. Check out these simple, desk ideas to help create your ideal work-from-home environment:

Photo courtesy of Andrea Piacquadio via Pexels

1. Pick the right space

Figuring out how to create a work desk? Before you even start thinking of decorating your table, choose the right space in your condo, first. Pick a quiet area , with good lighting and easy access to electrical plugs and outlets. This way, you won’t have to worry about these essentials in your condo when you start decorating your productivity space. Once you’ve picked the perfect location in your condo, you can start exploring creative desk ideas for your home office.

2. Use a stable table

You’ll naturally need to pick a table that’ll fit into the space you choose. There are tons of creative condo office table ideas that you can explore if you think you don’t have the right tables or surfaces in your condo. Convert an old wardrobe into an office space that you can open up and close when needed. Explore built-in desk ideas for surfaces you can hide away when they’re not in use. Get ideas from your bedroom with a desk and make that your workspace. Whatever table or surface you pick, make sure it’s sturdy enough to hold your laptop, lamp, files, and other office supplies.

3. Install a personalized inspiration board

You’re living through pretty stressful times. You need to remind yourself of the good things in the world, to get through those stressful days indoors. Create a fun inspiration board for your home office. You can use a corkboard, a whiteboard, or even a blank wall as your inspirational surface. Put up anything you want on your personalized inspiration board. You can put up quotes, photos, or some short affirmations of your own; so that you can get through each and every day. No space for an inspiration board? Just stick some Post-its with inspirational quotes on any surface in your line of sight. Give yourself those little pockets of inspiration on your table to cheer yourself on, as you work.

4. Pick an organizer for your office supplies

If you want to have a stress-free space where you can be productive, then you need to keep your productivity space organized. This means you have to explore desk organizer ideas to always keep your condo office items in check. Put all your office supplies, like writing materials, notepads, and sticky notes, in their respective containers so that they’re not scattered across your table. Make use of organizers, pencil cases, or drawers to help keep things orderly. Neatly roll up wires from laptop chargers, phone chargers, or lamps; so that you don’t accidentally tug at them while working. Put your snacks or drinks on a surface separate from your table; so that you don’t accidentally spill food on anything important. It’s crucial that you keep your productivity space free of distractions to help reduce your stress in these stressful times.

5. Invest in a good lamp and a neutral background

People have been doing video calls more and more nowadays because of the need to stay inside during this pandemic. Good conference call etiquette dictates that you should have good lighting and background to facilitate quality video calls. Hopefully, your productivity space already has good, lighting--preferably natural--and a neutral background. If you don’t have these, one work-from-home tip is to invest in a wireless, rechargeable soft lamp. This will give you great lighting anytime without taking up too much space on your table. You should also have a background that’s free of distractions for your video calls. The best background would be a neutral one, with no room for people to pass by while you’re on a call. This way, you won’t have to worry about distractions during a video call meeting.

6. Buy an ergonomic chair for your back

Photo courtesy of Luke Peters via Unsplash

If you’re planning on sitting at your productivity space the whole day, then you need a good chair that would support your back. One classic home office upgrade is to invest in an ergonomic chair that you can use all day. Why bother with an ergonomic chair? The chairs you have at home may not be designed for full workday use. If you're using only a regular chair, it may actually hurt your back over time. Invest in an ergonomic office chair for your use during this COVID-19 pandemic. Your back will thank you for it in the long run.

7. Let some plants keep you company

Everyone’s staying inside to prevent the spread of COVID-19. However, staying indoors every day can take a toll on your mental health. You probably already miss the fresh air of the outside world and hate the feeling of being stuck inside all the time. To liven up your workspace and breathe in some fresh air, bring in a few plants to keep you company. Small potted plants can boost your mood, reduce stress, and inhale some fresh air while you work. They can also serve as a great company while you stay indoors. Having these small plants on your table will definitely brighten your day and keep you invigorated while you stay safe and healthy indoors.

Photo courtesy of Ken Tomita via Pexels

Everyone’s staying indoors to guard against novel coronavirus this year. The massive shift to work-from-home life really hasn’t been easy for anyone, yet it’s easy to make use of simple, homemade desk ideas for your ideal work from home environment. Applying the right tips and tricks can make a world of a difference for you, as you spend more time indoors. Make life a little easier with these simple desk ideas and make your time indoors a little more fun for yourself, too.