Your productivity while working from home has a lot to do with your work environment. As against the office setup, you have the sole responsibility to tidy up your Work-From-Home environment.
But how can you deal with clutters that can constantly stand in the way of a smooth work experience at home? We have compiled for you nine simple yet essential tips to help you declutter your WFH environment. Ready to enjoy a blissful work life? Let's get into it.
Tip 1: Assess Your Workspace
Getting your work-from-home environment decluttered starts with a detailed assessment of what it is currently. Make a list of what is working and what is not at the moment. Note down the things that need to change, assess the space you have to work with, and where the changes can be made.
Also, look at the things you're using as a priority and the other stuff that are less used. Note the things that are just taking up space on your desk without any tangible use.
Tip 2: Get Rid of Unnecessary Items
After you have identified the things that are not on your priority list, get rid of them. Keeping unneeded items on your desk or around it will hinder the proper flow of work. Check for physical documents and files that are old and are just occupying spaces on your desk.
It could even be hardware equipment like a printer, fax, a broken humidifier, or any other office gadget that is no longer operational and is cluttered. Get rid of these items properly, or store them away from your workspace.
You should also look into decluttering your computer folders. Keeping your files and desktop well arranged helps you move with ease on your PC and find files easily.
Tip 3: Move Accessories to the Underside of Your Desk
Not all your accessories are worthy of your desk space. Whether it's a traditional desk or a standing desk, you can do more with your desk surface when you get creative. One such creative measure is moving your accessories to the underside of your desk.
If you have a desk with a drawer, then the drawer provides extra storage space. You can also move accessories like audio interfaces unless you're into podcasting or shooting professional videos. Where necessary, consider a cable tray on the underside of your desk to manage cords better.
Tip 4: Organize Your Desk
After you have gotten rid of unnecessary materials off your work table, then you should arrange the important things. Organizing your workspace should be done in a way that gives you more comfort and ease of accessing necessary things in the shortest time possible. To achieve this, you can use a desk organizer. Learn to arrange similar things in the same place and have a specific space for everything.
Tip 5: Use a Good Monitor Arm
A good monitor arm helps you save space on the computer. The monitor is first held by the arm in a way that doesn't stress your eyes and neck. Monitor arms greatly improve the ergonomics of your working space.
It also gives you more space on the desk since the monitor is hung above the table. A monitor arm with cable space makes it better. Alternatively, you can use Velcro clips to put the cables in order.
Tip 6: Create a Storage System
Your Work-From-Home environment should have a storage system to forestall the build-up of waste. You get into a cluttered situation more often when you have no means of getting rid of unneeded items.
If you deal with a lot of papers, look into getting files and a filing cabinet and a shredder for files that are no longer needed. A set of drawers can serve as a keep for office supplies. A good storage system will keep your desk free of items that are not for immediate use.
Tip 7: Use a Wireless Keyboard and Mouse
Your computer accessories should be smart and simple. Invest in a wireless keyboard and mouse to reduce the cables on your work table. This will tidy up your space and give you more room to have productive work. Regardless of your PC type, there are excellent wireless options for keyboard and mouse available to choose from.
Wireless accessories are mostly powered by batteries. If this is an inconvenience and you can't let go of your wired accessories, make use of the appropriate cable management technique.
Tip 8: Manage Your Cables Appropriately
Cables can be a major contributor to clutters in your WFH environment. Having power boards and wires litter the flow can be unsightly. A good cable tray can put all these cables and power boards in a safe place under your desk.
To properly tidy up your cables, you should make use of velcros and cable ties. You can purchase clips, velcro ties, and cable straps from your local tool shop. The cable strapping or clipping will keep them from dangling or getting in the way of your movement. It will also extend the lifespan of your cables.
Besides these, you can purchase a cable tray with power boards fitted already to save you the stress and time of fitting a power board. Otherwise, just get a well-sized cable tray and fit your power boards in it.
Tip 9: Keep Your Workspace Clean
Regular cleaning of your workspace will help you get rid of clutters before they pile up. Have a cleaning routine that helps you have an admirable WFH environment every day. Wipe every surface, like the desk and monitor screens, clean the floor, ensure your office chairs are in good condition, dispose of your wastes, and rearrange any scattered items.
Why You Must Declutter Your WFH Environment?
A cluttered work environment can increase stress, cause distraction, and ultimately lower productivity. The most important benefit of having a well-organized workspace is increased productivity and more.
1. Improved Productivity
When you have a clutter-free workspace, you will not struggle with attention and focus. A clean and organized external and internal environment increases productivity. The more distractions, the less productivity. Once you're able to clear unneeded items off your space, you will easily get on with the important tasks.
Decluttering is not just physical, some persons are more in need of mental decluttering. You will get more work done in less time when you remove impediments.
2. Better Mental Health
Having a littered work table can keep getting in your way, causing you to be more anxious. A calming and arranged working area can reduce your stress levels and calm your mind.
The worry and fretting that come from getting through the daily workload may be tied to the lack of ambiance and tranquillity in the workstation setup. Don't let the weight of clutters get your emotions distorted, rather focus on the solutions.
Mental clutters can be more distracting than physical clutters. Improving the aesthetics of your WFH workspace can improve your mental health.
3. Increased Creativity
Clarity of thought can be attained when you're rid of mental and physical clutters. You can become more creative when you have a physically appealing environment. Your imaginations are more stimulated to fashion creative thoughts and solutions, which is usually not possible in a cluttered space.
4. Better Physical Health
Organizing your Work-From-Home environment will help you get through tasks quickly and easily. The reduction in your stress levels will result in better health. Plus, you will have fewer aches and discomforts that could result from having the right things in the wrong place and vice versa.
5. Time-Saving
Being able to easily pick up what you need without having to cope with several minutes of searching is a lifesaving upgrade that you should work towards. A lot of precious work time can be saved when you have an organized home office space. You will be able to attend to what matters and turn your priorities into your goals.
6. Heightened Motivation and Confidence
You grow in confidence and motivation when you are able to get through your tasks. The more you do, the better you are pumped up for more. Having a cluttered space will delay and reduce your output and consequently reduce your confidence and motivation. Clear out those unnecessary things now and feel more energized to get your work done.
Summary
Putting your work-from-home environment in order goes beyond aesthetics; it is a key factor in productivity. Decluttering your space starts with a careful assessment, making a list of things that are wrongly placed, getting rid of items that are wrongly placed or not in use, and organising the important things.
Don’t forget to create a storage system and manage your cables appropriately. Finally, the furniture you use is equally important to have a well-organized work environment. You can begin your decluttering by choosing the best standing desk and the best ergonomic chairs available in Australia.
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