Heather Cocozza
Board Member, NAPO; Owner, Cocozza Organizing + Design, LLC
For months, we’ve created work areas from home spaces, moving the breakfast dishes aside to eke out a space on the kitchen table, turning a bed into a work space, or a tiny corner of the living room into an office.
As the pandemic continues, kickstart the new year to create a more productive work from home (WFH) space. To make the most of your available space, you can hire a productivity consultant who helps people and companies by examining how they work, when they work and where they work.
I suggest that you focus on what you really need to accomplish related to your job to guide your office design. Typically, home office work includes reading, writing, analysis, data entry, presenting, and participating in video and phone conference calls. We can help to maximize the space you have so you can be more productive.
Get organized
In January, the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals official month to Get Organized and Be Productive, we’re often called upon to help businesses and clients figure out how to work even more efficiently.
When designing your WFH space, think about:
- Who will use it?
- Is it shared with other family members, such as a WFH spouse? (Do you need a screen divider to break up a space or a curtain rod across a doorway to keep your spouse out of video calls and to avoid distractions?)
- Is the designated space far from family members and is it quiet?
- Do you need to set up a schedule for the rooms in which your family works, has virtual school, and exercises?
- Are there pieces of furniture you already have that could be repurposed to make your space more workable?
- What tools or gear would make the space more comfortable?
Answer these questions to address how to make those changes, and readjust quarterly or as needed. Although no one started out thinking they’d be working from home for so long, it appears that this could be the normal for the foreseeable future. You may find this new way works even better than going to the office and opens up more opportunities for work collaboration.
For more tips during #GoMonth2021, or to find help with a productivity consultant, go to www.napo.net.