Working from home sounds productive both in theory and in practice. 62% of interviewed hybrid/remote employees answered that they feel more productive working from home.
At the same time, 21% struggle with home distractions, 27% can’t maintain boundaries, 15% have problems with technology. So, who’s right office or remote workers?
In reality, both are right, but what differentiates effective home-office workers from unproductive ones is the approach to the home office. We explain why you find it hard to be fruitful in a home office and give essential principles and tips for a productive home office.
Why Can’t I Focus When Working from Home?
One of the biggest problems with remote work is that home environments are usually designed for relaxation. A perk of traditional offices is that they’re built to make you work: leave home, see colleagues, feel the responsibility.
At home, you don’t have these motivators, but what you may have is way too many distractions. Your attention that has to go to work tasks competes with:
- notifications
- household chores
- family members or roommates
- background noise
- entertainment nearby
- your bed being a few steps away
It’s still possible to struggle to focus, no matter how much effort you put into eliminating distractions. Recognize yourself? Try a test for neurodivergence that can determine whether your memory/concentration issues are from ADHD, autism, OCD, or something external.
Finally, you may simply lack physical and psychological boundaries between work and home. It’s normal for the brain to associate home with rest and relaxation. So, when you force it to concentrate, it might resist simply out of habit.
This is why many people feel mentally exhausted while still being unproductive at home.
How to Set Up a Home Office? 6 Home Office Tips
Good news! All the reasons it may be hard for you to concentrate in a home office can be alleviated with the right design. Believe us, it’s more than just getting a nice chair and monitor.
Put your Pinterest aside and listen to these home office tips that come with concentration and productivity by default.
1. Have Good Lighting
Ideally, your workspace should receive natural light, especially in the morning. Exposure to daylight helps regulate your circadian rhythm, making it easier to feel alert and focused during work hours.
Dark spaces can increase fatigue and mental fog, even if you’re a night owl. If natural light isn’t available, opt for layered lighting:
- softer ambient lighting for comfort in corners
- focused desk lighting for motivation
- warmer tones in the evening to reduce strain on your eyes (including night modes on devices)
Planning a home office from scratch? Then, design your desk near a window. It’ll keep you more engaged and free, not as if you’re closed in a box. Keep in mind that sun glares can reflect off your desk. They can be fixed by choosing a desk with matte surfaces.
2. Place Your Home Office in a Nook Space
Smaller, semi-enclosed spaces work better for focus than completely open rooms. Why? There are a few reasons:
- A nook-style office naturally reduces distractions and creates a work atmosphere.
- It creates a physical boundary between the home office and the rest of the home.
- It improves concentration due to the psychology of immersing yourself intentionally in a certain task.
- The comforting atmosphere of the nook offices invites you to spend more time there and enjoy your time.
Nook-space offices are an amazing choice for small apartments or rooms that need to be divided between two or more people. A corner desk, an alcove, or even a workspace divided by a bookshelf can create the same effect.
Romanticizing your nook office a little can genuinely help motivation. Feeling good in your space makes work feel less like punishment and more like a natural part of your daily routine.
3. Invest in a Good Ergonomic Chair
It’s a staple and must-have, that’s why everybody’s talking about high-quality chairs. If you work from home regularly, an ergonomic chair is the most important investment you can make. Low-level back pain, neck tension, or stiffness can reduce concentration, besides impacting your long-term health.
Many recommend high-end ergonomic brands like Herman Miller that are considered the gold standard. But we still recommend choosing a chair by trying different options yourself, since they may not be a good fit.
On a tight budget? Prioritize chairs that are adjustable and provide lumbar support. Also, look into buying a used high-end chair: offices often sell high-quality office furniture when moving or closing down.
4. Set the Desk to Face the Middle of the Room
Most people automatically place their desk against a wall, but that setup limits creativity. Some people may also not like the possibility of someone looking into their screens.
Facing the middle of the room can make a workspace feel more open, stimulating, and mentally engaging. This setup can also reduce the feeling of being “stuck” in work mode because the office space feels integrated into the room instead of isolated from it.
Of course, this approach works best in larger or open-plan spaces where there’s enough room to position furniture comfortably. In smaller apartments, it may not always be practical.
If you’re squeezing your home office into a tight space, try angled desks facing away from the wall.
5. Choose the Right Desk
In general, a good work-from-home desk should be:
- large enough for comfortable organization
- sturdy and stable
- appropriate for your working style
- comfortable for long-term use
For some people, standing desks can improve focus and energy because they allow movement throughout the day.
Another underrated idea is having two separate work surfaces, if space allows. One desk for your primary job and another for hobbies, creative work, or side projects. People with two desks set them perpendicularly.
6. Integrate Home Office Into Your Routine
A productive home office is not only about furniture. It’s about how naturally the space fits into your daily life. Don’t forget that your home office should evolve with you.
Forcing yourself into a rigid productivity system may backfire, leading to more procrastination, just because you don’t want to be in your home office. So, adapt it however you need to feel comfortable. For example:
- keeping a heating pad under the table
- using a physical calendar or planner to visualize tasks
- storing frequently used items (water bottle, mini fridge, snacks) within easy reach
- putting speakers behind you
The most productive home offices are rarely the most minimalistic ones. They’re the spaces intentionally designed around the person actually using them.
6 Main Dos and Don’ts of a Productive Home Office
Dos
1. Do invest in high-quality furniture and technology.
If you work from home full-time, your setup directly affects your physical and mental well-being. Heard the saying “buy nice or buy twice”? That’s because high-quality accessories will:
- make your work easier
- be more enjoyable to use
- serve you longer
2. Do create a separate work area.
As we established, the brain needs boundaries to switch between work and rest. Ideally, your workspace should not directly face your bed or areas you associate with relaxation, like a gaming station or a living room sofa.
3. Do prioritize organization over aesthetics.
A visually pleasing office is great, but functionality matters more. Of course, the ideal setup combines both organization and style, and you’ll be more productive in a place you find comforting. However, if you ever have to choose between something looking good and something working efficiently, choose the latter, for sure.
Don’ts
4. Don’t mix too many personal items into your workspace.
It means don’t put your personal to-dos somewhere that’d distract you, and communicate with your co-habitants that the office is for work only.
5. Don’t avoid decorations entirely.
Although minimalistic home offices work for many people, overly sterile places that don’t reflect your personality may drain you even more. Include small details that would keep your eyes engaged but won’t distract you. For example, plants, artwork, candles, photos, books, and memorabilia.
6. Don’t rely solely on setup to fix productivity.
Even the perfect office won’t automatically fix focus. You have to surround yourself with routine, including in personal life and daily rituals. A home office is just a way to support their rituals. And motivation will result from your efforts.
