Bedroom Office Ideas to Increase Your Productivity

Over the last few months, you have probably had to get quite creative when it comes to your work-from-home setup. Working in the kitchen or dining room is often too close to the temptation of snacks, the living room sofa isn’t always great for your posture and so that just leaves the bedroom. Well, if expert bedroom office ideas are what you’re in search of, you’re in the right place.

Kate Sullivan, MSc (Dist), is a work and well-being psychologist specialising in issues of work-life balance and burnout. Kate told us:

“Where and how we work has a definite impact on our productivity – it’s easier to burn out if you don’t have adequate separation between your work and the rest of your life, and physical boundaries are a big part of that. By the same token, it’s also easy to become distracted during work time if your home life intrudes. For example, a pile of laundry you’ve been meaning to put away that you keep glancing at from the corner of your eye.

“This means that the layout of your new work-from-home space is very important. I recommend that people get as much separation for their work as possible. This is often not easy in a small flat, or if you have a shared space, but there are some reasonably easy, low-cost ways to do so.”

How to create a distraction-free bedroom office

There’s more to bedroom office ideas than simply what looks good. Here, we explore a range of tips and tricks to ensure your bedroom office helps, instead of hinders, your productivity:

1. Start by setting up a small desk, stand or table 

Place it in the corner of your bedroom where you can easily block it off from the rest of the room. Ensure the table is at a height that’s comfortable to work at without slouching. When using a laptop or keyboard, your hands should be at a lower level to your elbows. Use a sturdy chair and if you can, adjust the height so that your knees are level with your hips.

2. Add a room divider or screen 

If that’s out of reach for expense or storage space, consider hanging an inexpensive sheet or shower curtain from hooks on the ceiling or walls. Whatever you’re using as a screen, ensure it blocks your workspace off from the rest of your bedroom.

3. Add some plants

Studies have shown that plants help improve our focus, concentration, and productivity and so adding one or two small plants to your workspace can help cheer you up and be more productive at the same time. They’re also great for cleaning the air, helping combat any pollutants or odours.

Related: 4 Bedroom Colour Schemes That Will Make You Happy

Now that you have a set workspace established, there are additional factors to consider when working from home to keep you focused and to avoid unnecessary distractions. Minimising the temptation to procrastinate and taking small actions to improve your productivity will go a long way when it comes to getting through your daily workload.

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4. Create the perfect room temperature

A 2006 study showed that performance increases with temperature up to 21-22 °C, and decreases with temperatures above 23-24 °C. Therefore ensuring your bedroom temperature is just right will make a big difference to your productivity whilst working.

Related: How To Get Out Of Bed When It’s Cold

5. Natural light is best

Natural light has been shown to improve a worker’s performance, attention span, satisfaction, and overall health. When setting up your bedroom office, make sure the blinds or curtains are drawn and lots of natural light is able to enter into your workspace.

6. Declutter and organise

Avoid unnecessary stressful clutter. Save time spent on looking for important documents and improve concentration by keeping your workspace clutter-free. Many studies have demonstrated that cluttered desks can lead to anxiety, a lack of focus and procrastination. If you’re not a very tidy person, find a way that works for you in order to keep your desk space clear. Whether that’s having a tidy up once or day or even once per hour!

7. Avoid distractions

Working from home, especially when you don’t live alone can come with many distractions. Try to minimise these by setting yourself boundaries and establishing a routine. For example, make sure personal notifications are switched off on your phone, tell your housemates your working hours, and establish times when to take breaks away from your desk.

YouTuber, CGP Grey, explores distraction-free working from home through the idea of “spaceship you” which raises some interesting ideas about the importance of segmenting different areas for different uses.