Is your home office nothing more than a cramped corner of a guest bedroom or kitchen? I used to live in an old arts and crafts style ranch, circa 1928. What the rooms lacked in space, they did make up for in charm (as anyone who loves old homes can attest to). There was one corner of my very small guest room that became my first home office. It consisted of my laptop on a small, antique desk with the printer next to it on the floor. I used a beautiful, antique bench for my desk chair.
In the beginning, the functionality of the room wasn�t a concern, but as my business grew, I realized I needed to make some changes to maximize the efficiency of my workspace. The space also had to have the right �feel� if I was going to spend long hours there.
I am a true believer in alternative therapies such as aromatherapy, therapeutic touch, feng shui, and all things organic. I decided to use some of these simple, yet effective means to maximize the efficiency of my home office.
My antique desk and bench were causing me to have back and wrist pain, which took me way too long to figure out. As a long-time fitness addict, I didn�t realize that my toned muscles would get sore in front of a computer, but they did indeed. Reluctantly, .I replaced the antique desk and bench with a small, but ergonomically friendly desk and chair. That alone was a huge help! (Plus the antiques were happy to be back in their original locations, where they could resume their original jobs as eye-catching room d�cor.)
My feng shui and hippy friends advised me how to rearrange the workspace to give it the feel I needed to keep me coming back to a workspace I loved. Whenever I worked, I lit my favorite aromatherapy candle. My senses were sharpened, and I felt serene while performing my business tasks.
I was told to rearrange the room so my desk faced the door. This was to increase my feeling of security. If you can�t arrange your room in this fashion, you can place a mirror next to your computer or on the wall near it to have the ability to see the doorway. This will produce the same result.
Water symbolizes abundance and creativity. I placed a beautiful ocean picture from a recent trip to Aruba in front of my computer. That was easy enough, and it made a nice focal point for those staring off into space moments. No more blank walls for me!
