Preserving Sanctuary While Working from Home

They say to not take your work home, but now, work is at home for many. For those of us who have made the transition to working from home, our once familiar nine-to-five schedule has been intercepted by a run-on of unpredictable days where we fit in work where we can. For now, schooling kids, doing household chores, and cooking three meals a day have become the priority. To ensure that we continue to be successful in our professional lives, having a workspace that motivates, kindles, and centers our creative minds is essential. But it is also equally important to maintain the qualities of our home that render it a sanctuary. Following are some tips on ways to find this balance.

Creating space home image 1 by Erin Melkonian

Dedicate a space to yourself.

First and foremost, I highly recommend that you dedicate a space in your home to yourself. A dining table or corner niche are both appropriate options if you don’t have a spare room. Just make sure that the area is solely yours and not shared with anyone else. If you are like me, then you have work-, home-, and child-related tasks that must be managed daily. In this case, it is important to remember to keep personal and professional spaces separate, both physically and mentally. This will help define your many roles and, thus, how your time allotted to each is focused. You’ll be more productive with work and left with more personal time.

Keep your surface minimal.

Once you’ve established your work domain, don’t let it get cluttered with anything other than what it is intended for. Your profession will dictate your surface priorities. As an interior designer, I keep three items on my desk: 1) a task light, 2) a container that is filled with a highlighter, a pair of scissors, and my favorite pens and pencils, and 3) a small dish with paper clips and rubber bands. That’s it! These are the things that I reach for constantly throughout my day. Everyone’s professional demands and workspace needs are different, so be sure to tailor your worktable to meet those necessities.

Find storage solutions.

Referencing the above, make sure you have mechanisms in place to keep your home organized. Neither family nor workspaces will benefit from clutter. Find storage solutions to meet your home and office needs. I like to keep a pedestal file with four or five drawers next to my desk—this gives me enough drawers to organize my workload by project or task and also holds personal items (like a stapler, ruler, notepad, etcetera), which are dedicated for professional use only. Keep another set of these items for personal use in another place in your home—this, too, will help segregate your spaces.

Let there be light!

I believe that happiness breeds good work, and natural light is one of the unsung keys to being happy. One of the silver linings to being out of the office setting is not having to sit beneath harsh, fluorescent lighting all day. Home lighting tends to be much softer—the warm tones of soft white bulbs, and varying lighting heights and sources, help facilitate the positive effects light can have on us. However, natural light is always the best—it helps brighten your mood and gives great energy. Pair it with a task lamp for optimal concentration.

Make it beautiful

Take advantage of not having to get permission to redecorate your office space now that it’s in your own home. Give yourself some inspiration while you work. Perhaps that means painting the room an invigorating or calming shade, papering an accent wall, or adding a pop of color to your ceiling. Maybe it can come in the form of a beautiful floor lamp or your favorite piece of art. It can even be a low bookcase with some of your cherished keepsakes. I have several house plants in unique pots around my home office—with regular tending, it’s gratifying to watch them grow and change daily.

With dedicated space, minimized surface clutter, appropriate storage, perfect lighting, and unique personal touches, you’ll be able to maintain your home as a sanctuary and your home as an office. There will inevitably be times that one spills into the other, so reclaiming your space must be a priority when you work at home. Remember that there’s always tomorrow to make it better, so live in the moment and embrace the beautiful chaos that is working from home.

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Erin Melkonian

Interiors Editor

Erin runs a collaborative design firm, EMID Design Group, specializing in healthcare, hospitality, and residential interior design, in Fresno, California. Seeing the world through an artistic lens has allowed Erin to experiment in a number of different styles. Everything she does with a space is deliberate. Every piece has a purpose and has been thought about, from color, to position, to scale in order to create the most unique and personal spaces for her clients.

Ellie Koleen

Photographer

Ellie is a lifestyle, wedding, and brand photographer based in Fresno, California. An artist behind the lens, her trademark airy, light-filled style and masterful camera angles make her work easily recognizable. She uses her love for all things design related as inspiration for her work. The Fresno Bee named Ellie Best Photographer for the People’s Choice Awards in 2018 and 2019.