Working from home is more common than ever, but putting together a home office isn’t always easy. It’s a delicate balance of comfort and efficiency. Your home office needs a degree of separation so you can focus and eliminate distractions. On the other hand, it needs to be comfortable enough that you won’t mind spending hours there.

Since many of us here at Ourso Designs have been dealing with this issue ourselves, we decided to put together some tips to keep you inspired and productive. Here are five ideas for your home office. It’s a delicate balance of comfort and efficiency. Your home office needs a degree of separation so you can focus and eliminate distractions. On the other hand, it needs to be comfortable enough that you won’t mind spending hours there.

Unless you’re working from home as an athlete or personal trainer, chances are you’ll be sitting down. A lot. Therefore you’ll want a chair that is comfortable, ergonomic, and stylish. Most people will opt for the classic low-backed swivel chair, but high-backed gaming chairs are gaining popularity and support your neck – designed for those who spend hours in front of a screen. For those who are leaning more toward form over function, we find low-back, fixed-leg, cushioned chairs are perfect.

Literally. Good lighting reduces eye strain and helps prevent headaches. If you’re working with a screen, try to position it so it doesn’t reflect glare from an overhead light or a window. Keep a small spot lamp for task lighting. If you find yourself moving around a lot, make sure your travel paths are clearly lit and clean of clutter. If you’re doing a lot of filing, consider applying some under-cabinet lights.

When you look up from your desk, you definitely don’t want to see anything that will cause a distraction, but staring at a blank wall isn’t great either. We think, in an ideal world, everyone’s desk would face a window and they’d get all the natural light they need. However, not everyone has that option. If you’re looking straight into a blank wall in front of your desk, consider hanging some of your favorite and most inspiring art, but don’t go overboard. Too much visual stimulation can be quickly distracting.

It seems like we can’t write a blog post these days without bringing up the benefits of house plants. They are a straightforward way to bring the beauty of nature indoors. They clean the air and bring a sense of calm to anyone in the room. Of course, not everyone has a green thumb, but there are some extremely low-maintenance Snake plants and ZZ plants out there.

Between all your devices, paper files, and daily items you might happen to place in your work area, a home office can quickly grow cluttered. Plus you might not have access to all the organizational tools you had at the office. When it comes to your electronics, the first thing to keep in mind is cord management. Your cords should all run through one or two centralized locations. For paper files, you can always create DIY baskets and trays with appropriate labels. If you feel like you need easier direct access to your files and records, consider adding some floating shelves to your workspace. Floating shelves are by far the most accessible form of storage.

Did we miss anything? What do you think is the most crucial aspect of a home office? Stay tuned for more insights and updates and, as always, thanks for reading!