Blog Post

10 Tips for Designing a Zen Home Office Workspace

George Chowanec • Apr 15, 2021

Your workspace shouldn’t just be functional, it should be calm and serene as well. For this reason, having a healthy and relaxing home office space should be your number one priority.

Here are 10 tips to make your home office more Zen-like:

Begin With the Proper Workstation
Declutter Your Workspace
Invest in a Comfortable Chair
Decrease Noise Levels
Combine Natural and Task Lighting
Bring in the Greenery
Select the Right Paint Colors
Go Cordless if Possible
Add Sentimental Touches
Experiment With Aromatherapy

Read on to discover how you can make your home office feel more peaceful and relaxing.

Begin With the Proper Workstation

Start by selecting the right desk, not just going with any random piece of furniture and using it as a makeshift desk. Decoist.com mentions that the “height” of your desk should also encourage proper posture. A desk that measures about 34 inches high will give you the right amount of space that you need.

With that being said, you might find it healthier and more comfortable to go with a standing desk. According to Healthline.com, sitting down too much is linked to an “increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, and early death.” A more common scenario that happens from sitting down for long periods of time is people gaining weight or even becoming obese as a result. Using a standing desk will allow you to move around more and increase your energy level.

Declutter Your Workspace

The condition of your workspace is a direct reflection of your current state of mind. Are there stacks of papers on your desk, along with random items that don’t belong there? To gain a more clear and focused state of mind, it is absolutely critical that you take time to clean and organize your workspace and the area surrounding it. Don’t be afraid to get rid of things that you don’t need, and file away the rest.

Simple Home Simple Life.com recommends taking a look at your virtual desktop. It should be kept as simple and streamlined as possible. Only open up tabs and programs that are related to what you are currently working on. Disabling notifications will help you to remain focused on the tasks at hand. Clear away any unused desktop icons, again to minimize distractions and keep things as simple as possible. Downloading a peaceful background to your computer will add to its new serene vibe.

Invest in a Comfortable Chair

Having a comfortable office chair is essential to having a relaxed atmosphere. While it is important that your chair looks good, be sure to put comfort at the top of your priority list. Look for an adjustable chair that can be positioned at your desk. Your computer should be at eye level, and your back upright. Chairs with adjustable lumbar support are an added bonus.

Decrease Noise Levels

Trying to get work done when there is an excessive amount of noise at times can be completely impossible. Having a home office with very little noise is peaceful and more efficient. One option to offset noise levels is to wear noise-canceling headphones.

Bob Vila.com suggests that the key to quieting a noisy room is to incorporate objects and materials that are known to absorb sound waves. For example, switch out your door from hollow to solid. This will ensure that sound won’t be able to pass through the void. Adding rugs to tile or hardwood flooring will also help to dampen the sound. A white noise machine is another option. It emits soft, soothing sounds that help to drown out undesirable background noises.

Combine Natural and Task Lighting

Be sure to place your home office in a spot where you can best take advantage of as much natural light as possible. Unless all you have to look at is traffic, having a view of the great outdoors is sure to boost your mood and overall productivity level. To avoid unwanted glares during the day, the Spruce.com recommends facing your workspace “north or south.”

Even with natural sunlight streaming in, you will likely need ambient or task lighting to have an ample amount of light at your desk. Avoid relying on harsh overhead lighting that can produce a direct glare. Using a floor lamp or a desk lamp with a lampshade will give you better results overall.

Bring in the Greenery

Adding plants to your space will soften it and literally give it new life. Keeping an indoor plant or two near your workspace adds a brightness and charm that no artificial decorative element can. Plants also freshen the air, absorb excess electrical energy and provide you a connection with nature, right from the comfort of your desk.

Select the Right Paint Color

If you are trying to create a space that you want to relax in, this involves more than just selecting the right office furniture. The paint you select for your walls is just as important. If your walls are vibrant and loud, it’s not going to do anything to remedy your stress level. When it comes to paint colors, think light and soft. Pale grays and blues give off a relaxing vibe, as do simple whites. Be sure to steer away from overly saturated colors and stimulating hues like reds and yellows.

Go Cordless If Possible

Nothing detracts more from the beauty of a room than a bunch of jumbled, tangled-up electrical cords. With today’s wireless technology, cords aren’t always a requirement. Virtual Vocations.com suggests ditching all cords and moving your workspace into the center of the room to give a feeling of openness to your area.

Add Sentimental Touches

Your workspace should contain pieces of you, and the ones that you love. Ideally, when you look around the room, it should make you smile. Hanging up photos of your loved ones, or artwork your little ones crafted are a couple of ideas. Whatever you decide, make sure that it brings you joy and reminds you why you are working in the first place.

Experiment With Aromatherapy

Whether you enjoy the scent of aromatherapy candles or essential oils, there are many ways that the power of aromatherapy can help to bring about a peaceful state of mind. Try adding an essential oil diffuser near your home office space to fill the entire room with a lovely fragrance. Place a desktop fountain nearby and you will think you have gone to Zen heaven.

Conclusion

Designing a more peaceful home office is relatively easy when you follow the above tips. However, remember that no matter how good of a job you have done, peacefulness only exists within your own mind and heart. Remember to take time to quiet your mind every day, take deep breaths in and out, and Zen will find its home within you.