Five Ways Your Workspace At Home Might Be Killing Your Productivity

(Guest post by Steph Maguire)

It's 2020 and more of us have experience working from home than ever before. Some love it, some despise it. One thing is certain and that's that productivity while working from home is heavily correlated to how supportive your workspace is. Here are five reasons your workspace might be killing your productivity.

1. Your Desk Is Cluttered

Our brain subconsciously processes everything we see. If you have items on your desk that are not there to support your work for the day then they are clouding your brain up unnecessarily, and you won't be as productive. The feeling of a clear desk will have you more motivated.

Try to keep your basic stationary and any tools you use daily on the desk and any extras in a pencil case or stored elsewhere. If you only use your laptop, you are fine to have only that on the desk.

2. You Are In A Room That Distracts You

While you might not have a spare room of your house you can use exclusively as an office, try to be set up somewhere that is the least distracting. Once you are in the most suitable space try and clear it from distractions.

For example, if you are in the spare bedroom, don't use the bed to store unsorted laundry, your mind will keep looking at it during the work day wishing it was put away. Don't just declutter your desk. Declutter the room you are working in.

3. Your Workspace Is Joyless

Having items that bring you joy in your vision while you are working, increases creativity and fulfilment through the day. I am not saying you should grab a box of sentimental items and go to town decorating the wall with them....

But some plants or art go a long way. Face the window, see your favourite kind of pen, yes we all have one. Staring at a blank wall could be contributing to your unproductive mood.

4. Your Rubbish Is Building Up

Hey, you're at home. You just have to do your work and no one is there to have a day in the state of your workspace. Either set up a bin systems under the desk or get into the rythm of taking your trash back to the kitchen on your water breaks.

5. Your Ergonomics Are All Wack

Your chair is not comfortable, your screen is at the wrong height and so is your desk. If your workspace doesn't LITTERALY support you, then you are way more likely to experience strain injury and even potentially burnout.

My old chair was so bad that I was hurting by the end of a long work session so I upgraded to a really comfortable chair that doesn't hold me back... well it does hold my back.

I would love for you to consider what could be killing your productivity and take one action to improve the situation. Even if it is just clearing off your table and giving homes to the items on your desk.

Sort it Out Sustainably aims to make an impact on the world by empowering others to opt out of mindless consumerism and start living joyful, sustainable and intentionally lives. The first step to transition to living such way, is to declutter and Steph coaches others through the process.

Currently she is focussing on helping women declutter their homes before they embark into motherhood.

If you are interested in joining the conversation about minimalism, sustainability, decluttering, or managing motherhood head over to instagram and give her a follow @sortitoutsustainably