I feel like the internet has become so RICH with content since the start of the COVID 19 outbreak.  Very talented and intelligent people sharing information for free of any taste, flavor and style.  Whatever you are suffering from, or looking for inspiration to do – you can educate yourself for free on the internet.

Sidenote…AMAZING.  What a huge blessing to have so much positive information available at our fingertips!

So I don’t want to waste your time writing the same old thing that others have already done far more eloquently that I ever could.  But I do think I can add some value in the area of creating a work-conducive environment in your home.

I have worked from home for 2 years now.  I started out with an office that was sparsely decorated with just a desk and a computer.  I almost never worked from that space.  It wasn’t nice to be in, didn’t make me feel productive or inspired. I generally ended up hunched over on the couch or hunched over at the kitchen island.  There was a lot of hunching, a lot of back pain and a lot of restlessness.  In 2018 I had the opportunity to completely redesign my office last year with the help of Havenly, an amazing on-line interior design service (this is NOT an ad, just my experience).  Over the course of about 3 weeks I had a completely redesigned office within my budget.  Magical. It is the room of my little girl dreams. And it is white and perfect and no one is allowed to come in.  So really it creates the perfect balance between self-imposed isolation and the reality that no one wants to play with me anyway.

Now, not everyone has the ability to do this, or even has the extra space in their home to set up a true office. But there are a few things you can do to make your space work for you during this time. 

Computer and chair set up:

1. Make sure your computer screen is at the proper height and distance. The top of your screen should be at your eye height.  Your monitor should be approximately arms length in front of you.
2. Your keyboard and mouse should ideally be a few inches above your thighs so that your arms are at a 90 degree angle with your elbows at your sides.  If you are working exclusively on a laptop it may be worth it to buy a separate keyboard to avoid injury.  You can get a basic USB-wired keyboard and mouse from amazon for $15.  Never rest your electronics on your lap directly.
3. Adjust your chair (or borrow one from another room) so that your feet rest flat on the floor.

Now for the little luxuries that make it truly enjoyable.

1. Make sure you have adequate but soft lighting.  
2. Turn on music that helps you to focus and creates a comfortable atmosphere
3. Use essential oil diffusers or open the window and enjoy the fresh air if the weather allows.
4. Let your dog in.  For the longest time I didn’t even allow my sweet little dog in my super plush white-on-white-on-white office.  Then I realized how lonely it was to have him laying outside the door scratching my floor boards. Look at how he {almost} lays on the blanket I put out for him.  What a good doggie.
5. Schedule and protect your Focus Hours.  Focus hours are the times during the day you are at your most productive. Make sure you schedule these, make them known to the family, and plan your most important work during this time. 
6. Get up and stretch every hour.
7. Drink all the water.

Most importantly be grateful for the work you have to do, the home you have to do it in and the time you’ve gotten back that you used to spend on your commute.