If working from home has been part of your seclusion, then you probably might have noticed how hard it is to concentrate when the line between work and your freedom is too thin and only a few feet away. It really takes a certain type of discipline to find the courage to peel away from your covers and tend to all the work emails or keep track of all the countless Zoom meetings. Alain Josias Habiyaremye a project manager, says working from home has certainly presented its own set of challenges but he is doing his best to work remotely, and is trying to be as effective as possible, especially when responding to emails and calls. When he started isolation, work was done amidst a number of technical issues. But Habiyaremye says he has managed to overcome by use of different video calling sites like Skype, UberConference, Zoom and Hangout among others. Real estate agent Kamaro Bukoko, says he is settling in working from home and for now his work space is still random. “My main tool is my PC, so I sit anywhere comfortable and work,” he says. For now, he follows a routine to ensure productivity as a way of getting used to the whole idea of working from home. “I am using a system, where I can only do fun activities after doing productive work. My mornings are about reading books, doing the little office work I have, and some other social projects I work on. And later in the afternoon, I watch films, shows, documentaries, call friends and play games,” he says. Solutions for productivity When it comes to enhancing productivity, especially when working from home, a number of factors come into play. First and foremost, your environment influences the mood, level of concentration, hence efficiency. This is why your workspace can be your greatest asset for productivity or source of anxiety, depending on how you set it up. Aimable Ndizihiwe, founder and interior designer at Izihirwe Arts, thinks people should make their home offices as comfortable and attractive as possible and then get on with living. With a certain kind of beauty and décor, it can help them to relax and freshly think, he says. Even if we find many distractions when working at home, one can be as productive when the mind is quiet, as Ndizihiwe explains, adding that it is when our thoughts flow that creativity is attracted. “I encourage people to mind about adorning their home office spaces just like they think about organising their dinning and other rooms in their houses,” he says. The interior designer suggests finding a silent room in the house where one can sit and focus on their work. He emphasises considering a favourable atmosphere by including items that reflect nature, love and of course nice décor. “People love such and these are things we can rarely find in our offices but can create in our home. We find freedom in our homes, let’s enhance our creativity.” Making use of DIY guides At home, one has the freedom to decorate and furnish their office space — to create an optimal working environment that has the perfect balance of comfort and productivity. Natasha Iliza says she made use of different social media websites such as Pinterest to glam up her home office. With her jammed two-bedroomed house, she had to combine her living and office space. “I placed my office right beside my living area and positioned my furniture right in between to separate the two.” For her to work effectively, she opted for a very comfortable chair and a matching desk that would enable her work for hours with less exhaustion. She also decorated with lavish flowers and art pieces and with her space, she says she feels empowered. It’s a pleasant space with rich colours that bring tranquillity, and this takes us to the use of colour schemes and lighting when setting up a home office. For an effective and productive work space, it is important to position your space for natural light by arranging your furniture near a window. Whereas for colours, the best choice is for bright but subtle colours, though choice depends on the individual. Colours add life in a room and one can accentuate this by adding decorations or art pieces to compliment the colour scheme. Have a good view If possible, your home office should be quiet, it should as well face a balcony to access a good view, and this can serve as a good source of inspiration. Ensure to have access to power ports for easy charge of gadgets like your laptop and phone. Declutter An organised work area helps to enhance focus. It is important to keep very few things around your working area, too many items can bring about chaos and this can lead to loss of focus. Create the right ambience Set the right ambience for your space, you can choose to add candles with a good scent or play some background music. This will create a soothing atmosphere and inspire the right energy as well.
