This post is sponsored by Capital One.
Moving is always stressful, but with settling in lately I’ve been trying to find my silver lining. Aside from having air conditioning again (after not having it for 9 years), one of my favorite things about our new place is that my office is no longer in a closet. Awhile back, before the big move, I had the pleasure of meeting up with Capital One at their office in San Francisco to hear about the results of their 2017 Work Environment Survey. I was so intrigued with learning about what different people across the country prefer in a workplace. Whether you’re self-employed or working from home, today I’ve partnered with Capital One to share with you my take on their results and how you can use them to improve your workspace at home.
“No matter where you work, good design is important.”
Capital One 2017 Work Environment Survey
What is your work process like?
Spend a week or two thinking about your work flow. What tasks do you need to do on a daily basis to get your work done? How do you like to work? Sitting, standing? What function does your workspace need to have? Do you need storage or do you do most things digitally? Do you prefer a sitting or standing desk? Are you more casual and not on a computer very much? A laptop at your dining table might work best for you. If you are like me and spend a lot of time editing photos, you might prefer a larger screen and more traditional desk set up.
Do a test run first.
Before making a huge investment in your workspace at home, try doing a test run. Try a few different configurations for space and feeling. Want to try out a standing desk? Stack up a few boxes to see if you like the height and are okay with standing for longer periods of time. Adding a wall? Try hanging a sheet with painters tape from the ceiling to mimic the feeling. Want a light desk instead of dark? Add the sheet to the top of your desk to see how the light is reflected. I added my desk and items in the spot I wanted them to be while propping a few up to see how it would look first.
Natural light is key.
According to the survey the most important design element that employees across the board want to see in their workspace is natural light. 62% of people surveyed said it was important to them. This means that it’s probably important to you whether you think about it or not. You should aim to find a place in your home near a window or in a brightly lit room. If you can’t find a place, switch out your bulbs for daylight balanced lighting, such as these. When my office was in a closet we used daylight balanced LED strips to light the space, and now that it’s not my desk is next to a sliding glass door which lets in tons of natural light.
Make it your own.
Flexible workspaces drive creativity, so don’t forget that artwork and imagery are important. Save a little room for your creativity to shine through whether it’s an inspiration board, artwork, or choosing decorative accents. You can also use foam core board to paint with whiteboard or chalk paint for a faux wall or backsplash that is both tack-able and writeable.
Don’t forget healthy food and drinks!
If you work from home like me, I know it’s easy to get lazy about eating healthy or taking the time to eat. When you’re not in a social situation it makes it too easy for the time to fly by without a lunch break or time to stretch. A whopping 41% of respondents said that if it meant forging all other benefits, they’d love to have on-site healthy food and beverage options the most. So why not stock up your own kitchen?
Shop the Room:
Do you have a workspace in your home or home office? Any tips to share for someone who is setting up their own?
This post is sponsored by Capital One, a company I not only value as a sponsor, but am also personally a customer of. All thoughts, words, opinions, and photos are my own. Thank you for helping to support the sponsors that make life here at Hej Doll a little sweeter.
Leave a Reply