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Working remotely during coronavirus isolation has required many office workers to transition areas of their homes into their workplace. Some might be limited on space that can’t afford another room for a home office space, but it’s important to know how to create a workplace design to fit your and your business’ needs.

When you create a workplace design in your home, you want to create a professional space for yourself. It can be comforting to know you are presenting yourself in a similar business-like environment you would be afforded if you were at your actual workplace.

When I consider workplace design inspiration, you want to have a neutral or certain ambiguity behind your background and surroundings. Not to say it can’t be personal or meaningful, considering you are now working remotely from your home living space, but you want to still maintain a level of professionalism.

Space is usually a factor, as are resources, that make working remotely and creating a suitable workplace in your home difficult for many people and families.

The key to finding your own space within your home is based on where you find yourself being the most productive. It’s best when this place remains in the same spot and maintains the routine of your new ‘normal’ life.

Here are 7 workplace design inspirations and tips to keep in mind when scoping out your new spot as a remote employee during the coronavirus isolation.

Quiet, personal space

It can be difficult while you adjust any part of your living space to your workspace. You might not have the room to make an office within your house, but you should put thought into creating a quiet, personal space where you can focus on work.

Determine where you can have a quiet space just for yourself for stretches of time. Your office space doesn’t have to be constantly used as your office, but it should be clearly determined as your office during your business hours. Using your kitchen or your room is a great start.

If you are working from home while your children are home from school, try to determine where and when you can limit interference from them if need be. It’s understandable that family and pets will have more interaction with you throughout your day, but it’s also important to determine when and how you will get your work done.

Find a clear background

During the coronavirus quarantine, you might be asked to have various Zoom meetings or video conferences with coworkers or clients alike. You want the focus to remain on you rather than your workspace background.

Many people are video conferencing for the first time. Determine ways to clear your background from any distractions. If you have various things that distract from you, your coworkers and clients’ attention will be focused on whatever it is behind you rather than what it is you have to say.

A clear background doesn’t mean you don’t have to have some decorations behind or in front of where you work. Add inspirational quotes, hang up your diploma(s), or even put up pictures of your family. Just keep in mind of creating a clear, professional environment surrounding your workplace.

Add personal touches around your work station

While you might be working remotely from home, it’s important to make your workspace professional. Just like your work station at the office, you might not want to overload your workspace with personal items that distract you throughout the workday.

This is your home, so there are probably plenty of things you can add to your space to make it your own. It might be something small, like a stress ball, a photo of your family, or maybe even a small figurine, or it might be bigger than that and be some decorative artwork or bookcase. No matter what it is, try to make it secondary in the room compared to your desk or work area.

Your personal touches should try to mimic your office at your company. Your workplace should be professional but can still maintain a homey feel.

Mimic your office workplace

Keep an image of your office in mind and determine how you would normally organize your workplace. Mimicking your workplace organization inspiration will help you stay in a professional mindset.

You might not have the ability to mimic the exact layout of your normal workspace in your home, whether that be due to space or content, but keeping it organized in a similar manner will be helpful. This refers to both the order at your desk and your normal routine.

If you usually make yourself a coffee before you sit at your desk, make some coffee before sitting down. If you prefer to do a task in a certain way but don’t have all the materials, such as particular office supplies, try to find something that is similar and can work as a stand-in for the time being.

Mimicking your normal routine and workspace will help you transition easier into working remotely from your home.

Limiting distractions

You don’t realize how many distractions can pop up in your home while working remotely. Distractions are both good and bad when working remotely from your home. Sometimes, working remotely can be a great tool to work in a coffee shop or in a shared collaborative workspace, but during the coronavirus quarantine, that isn’t possible.

When I mention limiting distractions, I want to encourage you to do a task in chunks. This is great for giving yourself those small breaks you would normally have throughout your workday. Take the dog for a walk, clean that morning’s dishes, make the bed, get more water. Focus on the tasks that would take less than 5-10 minutes to do.

Again, if you have family or pets at home while in isolation, distractions can be more difficult to manage in some ways. You can’t always limit certain distractions but creating a workspace where you can plan or limit certain distractions will help you concentrate and stay focused on your work.

Develop your break time routines

There are so many things that you do every day that are not revolved around work. Even small things like refilling your water bottle or making a trip for an errand to another office, your daily workday requires you to make a few trips around the office.

When you start working remotely, you might feel as if you’re more distracted or stuck to your desk. Both sides of the spectrum can be easily rectified by planning micro-breaks throughout your day. Giving yourself 5-10 minutes to walk around the house or do a quick chore can help you see your daily tasks for work in a clearer light. You might find out some tasks work well together and others are shorter or longer than they appear. You might find that certain tasks vary in length of time throughout the week.

Whatever the case may be, setting a task and a break together as a unit will help you organize your daily routine and schedule.

Find ways to interact coworkers

Many people have been relying on zoom during the coronavirus isolation. This has become a great tool, despite the learning curve many are having to workaround.

However, remember, there are other ways to interact with your coworkers and clients alike. Social media and email marketing will become an even more prevalent tool for coworkers to use when interacting with customers and even coworkers. A lot of coworkers are using social media as a way to inspire and uplift others around them, whether that means inspirational videos, inviting and showing others their workplace, or showing how-to challenges to keep others positive.

One creative way some colleagues are working on staying connected with each other are holding more meetings and brainstorming sessions, but making them more fun, like catering a theme or creating challenges.

Creating a new space within your home during your coronavirus pandemic can be one of the lowest tasks on your to-do list as you juggle new routines, mental and physical well-being, and any number of other concerns. But it is important to create a professional and organized environment that you can maintain for your professional life as well.

You might find yourself rearranging some things but it’s good to keep as normal a routine as possible while transitioning into your remote working role.

Are you struggling to maintain an organized work environment for yourself? Join my e-newsletter to receive tips and inspirational workplace designs to keep you organized, focused and styled to your liking as a new member of the remote working community.

How to incorporate your workplace design in your home during coronavirus