Successful freelancing from home is not hard to achieve if you design the right work environment. So, that means it’s important to budget accordingly. On the other hand, with all this extra time you now have, you can use your energy to get really creative, both economically and with the purpose of making you and your family’s life easier in your home.
Now is the perfect time to think about designing your intimate environment for comfort and security. It’s also necessary for the rest and deep relaxation we all need for our health.
Of course, anything you design in your environment must also mesh with your lifestyle along with your basic needs. It’s also worth noting that you don’t need to go big with your plans. Instead, start out with a small project and build out from there. Eventually, you get an amazing comfortable environment for your freelancing work.
The wonderful news is, there are many ways that color, light, living plants, and furniture arrangements affect our moods and productivity. The following are some of my thoughts about design tips that might just lead to successful freelancing.
Design and Dress for Comfort
Successful Freelancing Begins with Fresh Air
Grow plants in and around your home. Breathing fresh air is paramount to a good work from home experience. Were there limits set on the number of plants allowed on your desk at the office? Well! You can set your own limits at home. In fact, you can go all out with plants around your work area and the rest of your home as well.
In this time of economic constraints, thankfully, growing indoor plants is inexpensive and easy. Yes, you can buy lots of pretty pots and expensive accessories for growing indoor plants. But, you can also get economical and hit Walmart and the Dollar store for a wide array of plant growing seeds, dirt, pots, and lots more at a reasonable price that fits almost any budget. This is also a great hobby to adopt while you work from home.
Not only do plants keep the air in your home fresh and breathable, but they also give us the sense of being closer to nature which is the natural desire of every living being on this planet!
My advice is getting proactive and going down to the store and spend less than $5 on a little ivy plant. That’s a start! It’s nearly impossible to kill an ivy plant if you water it regularly and wash off their tiny leaves once in a while.
Use Lots of Natural Light for Successful Freelancing
Natural lighting is one of the ways we can keep our moods at an even keel throughout the day. The effects of the right type of lighting on our moods are indisputable. So, fill your rooms with as much natural light as possible to give you an edge for successful freelancing.
Also, open your curtains and look for a great spot for your stay at home working environment. Here are some quick tips to get the maximum natural lighting.
To enjoy the sunlight during the cooler parts of the day, try roman shades that are thicker for filtering hot rays in the summer and keeping the cold out during the winter. That way, you can open them during the times of day when the sunlight is comfortable and then lower them when things get too hot or too cold. Other options include sheers under heavier drapes and natural bamboo blinds.
Another good trick is using mirrors strategically throughout your home to reflect the natural lighting and spread it around. It’s also good to go with lighter color on the walls to add a little more brightness to your day and also reflect light. Finally, look for windows that face east and west for the most sunshine. If that’s not possible, use the other tips to amplify the natural lighting.
Your View While Working is Very Important
Green plants and blue skies are the best way to view your out-of-doors through your windows, but that isn’t always possible. This is especially true if you are a city-dweller and have nothing to look at but other buildings and smog. Even if you live in the suburbs, you can find yourself looking across the street at a grey house with grey skies!
Try stacking small plants on a window sill and place other pots of greenery around the window or hang some plants from the ceiling. Another excellent idea is to add a window box outside or inside your window, depending on your structure. This will give you an aura of freshness, even if you’re looking outside at an asphalt jungle.
But, if you live outside the cities in a small town, countryside, or suburbs, it’s going to be easier to find pleasant views outside your window. So perhaps you might place your desk next to a window with a view whenever possible. If you can open your window for breeze – all the better!
The Feng Shui Balance for Successful Freelancing
Feng shui is the art and practice of making your space feel good. Of course, that’s a very simple explanation so let’s go into it a little further. The basic philosophy behind the art of Feng Shui is to look at our intimate environments in an uplifting new light. This involves building balance with the natural world inside our homes.
Historically, Feng Shui derives from Asian cultures and the practice is over 3,000 years old. Literally translated, the words “Feng” means “wind” and “Shui” means “water.” Just as “Taoism” is the way of nature, “Feng Shui” is the way our interior designs and decor reflect nature.
There is no better time than now to employ the principles of Feng Shui design in your home.
Pay Attention to Smooth Corners for Added Comfort
As with the principles of Feng Shui, it is wise to keep furniture with rounded corners in your home. I believe you will find this a very comforting tactic to use throughout your home.
As a person with high anxiety, I became aware early in life of my affinity for being a “moth to the flame”. As a result, I was often banging and bruising my legs, hips, and toes against every sharp corner in the room. So, I needed to have rounded corners on all my furniture whenever possible.
After finally receiving a correct diagnosis for PTSD, my ability to find every sharp corner in the room makes sense. Of course, it’s even more important to me now to use round corners whenever possible. After all, why set yourself up for failure if you know better?
I also love to include soft throws and cushions on my sofa and chairs. In fact, being lucky enough to get hand-crocheted afghans of various sizes and colors when my mom transitioned, I use those in addition to newer throws.
What’s highly beneficial about this is that I find comfort in the “blending of the ages” when I arrange and decorate my rooms. Moreover, I feel the warm energy of my ancestors and it fills me with peace. I can personally attest to the fact that there are no medications that give you these feelings of comfort.
How Important is Ergonomics in your Home Office?
One highly important point that is often overlooked is the use of ergonomic furniture and accessories. Ergonomics is the science of designing products and spaces to fit the needs of the individuals using them. In fact, using ergonomic furniture greatly enhances productivity and reduces common work-related injuries.
First, ergonomic furniture promotes good posture and reduces the strain on the body during long hours of work. Ergonomic chairs, for example, are designed with adjustable features such as lumbar support, seat height, and armrests. These fantastic features allow you to adjust your seating position to meet your needs. This helps maintain proper alignment of the spine and minimizes the risk of musculoskeletal disorders.
Furthermore, ergonomic furniture and accessories improve overall comfort. Naturally, this leads to successful freelancing! For instance, a height-adjustable desk allows users to switch between sitting and standing positions throughout the day. The result is a reduction of the negative effects of prolonged sitting. Studies show that alternating between sitting and standing boosts energy levels, improves focus, and reduces fatigue. Ergonomic keyboard trays and mousepads are also designed to position the wrists at a natural angle. I so doing, they prevent strain and reduce conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome.
It’s also important to consider the prevention of eye strain and other visual discomforts. Ergonomic accessories such as adjustable monitor stands or monitor arms allow users to position their screens at eye level. Using these aids help reduce neck strain and prevent eye fatigue. What’s more, good lighting also creates a comfortable work environment. Adjustable desk lamps or task lights with glare-free bulbs reduce eye strain by providing adequate illumination without causing harsh reflections or shadows.
Use a Chair that Suits Your Position.
You might be experiencing sore arms, posture issues, and back pain. Due to the wrong choice of furniture many people who are working from home face similar issues. I recommend that you opt for a more comfortable chair with ergonomic design.
Again, you don’t need to spend a lot of money on ergonomic chairs. But, stay away from chairs just because they’re pretty! Ignore those images you see online of those straight back or designer chairs that will cause you more pain than you can imagine. Start out with a simple ergonomic chair similar to those in this article. Back support pillows often make a chair perfect and are adjustable for the ultimate comfort.
There are so many cushions to go through to find the perfect one for you if you also have tailbone discomfort. I actually have a deteriorating tail bone from a car accident many decades ago that finally caught up with me. In trying to find the right cushion, I bought 3 different cushions before finding a 100% latex cushion in my mom’s things after she passed and that’s what I use now. So, I highly recommend latex cushions. They cost more, but for me, the expense is well worth the comfort. And, they last a long time.
Another often over-looked thing to consider are your arm rests. Be sure they are adjustable or fit you perfectly. If not, you’ll find yourself leaning one way or the other and over time, that causes damage to your back. You won’t feel it right away unless you are a senior, but it will catch up with you 10 – 15 – 30 years down the road. You can take that to the bank. Of course, you may opt for an attractive chair without arms but ensure it fits your body well.
If your chair is on carpet at home, it’s optimal to use a mat under the chair for ease of movement. Mats also protect your floors no matter the type of flooring material.
If you are a short person like me, always – always – always use a foot rest. I use a memory foam foot rest which is my favorite – ever. Of course, there are also other versions you might like to try out.
Ensure Correct Screen and Desk Positioning.
Believe it or not, this is very important. The wrong screen position causes eyestrain, tiredness, and poor posture. You can avoid these symptoms by choosing a sit-stand desk. It provides you a correct screen position and helps you to move physically while you are working.
Sit-stand desks are adjustable so they offer different positions which is helpful. Try standing while conducting an online session or meeting that will help you to gain more confidence and boost energy.
For my home desk, I think simpler is better. The most important feature I look for is a pull-out keyboard drawer with no lip at the end of the drawer or a lip that is easily made flat.
Ensure that you leave space for your ergonomic wrist rests and that it’s wide enough to hold both your keyboard and mouse with an ergonomic wrist rest. If you use 2 or 3 monitors, ensure that the desk is wide enough.
Another good tip is that I use a gaming keyboard with the numbers at the top because I was keyboarding long before there were numbers at the side of the keyboards. Plus, they take up less space and leave plenty of room on my keyboard drawer for my mouse. Gaming keyboards are also great if you’re a senior because they have the bright colorful lit up keys for ease of sight. Plus they’re inexpensive and made for lots of hardy use.
Conclusion
This is a good start for designing a successful freelancing in your home work space. There will be more posts about this topic so return often! Below, you will find other posts of interest for designing your intimate environment for less stress and more relaxation.
