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With an increasing number of people opting to work from home part-time, freelancing and starting up their own business, there has been a sharp rise in the number of home offices over the last five years.

While working from home is a dream for many and a great way to establish a better work – life balance, your home office needs to be carefully planned to avoid a muddle, and increase efficiency and productivity.

If it feels too much like home, that’s nap time.

Here are some easy steps to create a cost-effective, efficient and creative environment in your home office:

1. Find a cosy and light-filled nook

Home offices are often spare rooms converted into a work space. It’s important to have a designated place; preferably a room where you can work in isolation away from distractions to help optimize productivity.

Select somewhere with ample light [windows] and space for all your work equipment and documents. Corners are a good option, but ensure you’re not too far off from the washroom. Every second counts.

2. Save space

Home offices can be relatively small, so making the mod tot your compact space is essential. Take a look at the 2017 IKEA catalog and find furniture to suite your corner.

Pick multifunctional devices like Canon’s PIXMA MX7600 for everyday printing needs,  laser quality marketing materials, high speed copying, scanning and fax capabilities.

You’ll love: Get To Work With This Provocative Productivity Playlist

3. What colours work for you?

You don’t want your space working against you.

Cool colours like blues and greens are soothing and can help creating a calm working environment and boost concentration while a scheme that features a lot of white is ideal for a smaller work area as it will help create the illusion of a bigger space.

Warm colours such as oranges, yellows and reds are great for people who need a bit of stimulation in their work zone.

4. Turn the volume down & minimise distractions

It’s a given that work is work-time, but your family or flatmates need to know too.

Don’t underestimate the impact noise can have on your productivity – invest in a pair of noise-cancelling headphones and opt for home office equipment with noise reducing technology such as Canon’s I-Sensys.

Make sure your office door is always closed to signal that you are busy and should not be disturbed.

5. Tailor everything to your individual style

Hang up posters of your favourite films, use inspirational quotes for lazy days and if you’re a caffiene-head, set up a small coffee machine within arm’s distance.

Look for products that have broken the design mold and which fit in with your vision for your working environment, whether that is an uber chic metallic look or a modern and fresh space.

A psychological boost, it will amplify your signature in all the work you do.

For more tips on how to use interior design to enhance productivity, read: Around You: 4 Ways To Manipulate Workspace Design To Increase Productivity