18 Apr Working from home? Creating a beautiful eco-friendly workspace
If, like many others, youâre currently working from home due to the coronavirus lockdown, youâre probably âmaking doâ. Youâve probably had days sat scrunched on the sofa, balancing the laptop as best as you can. Perhaps youâve sat in your home office for longer than ever, and realised itâs not quite the beautiful eco-friendly home office youâd like? Maybe your back has started niggling and youâve pinched your childâs exercise book for some paper?
It looks like weâre all going to be working from home for quite some time yet. Thereâs no need to âmake doâ any longer. With a little thought, creativity and inspiration, you can create a remarkable eco workspace that makes you desperate to hop to it in the morning. As a space you could be spending a lot of time in, itâs worth investing a little time and effort to create a beautiful sustainable home office!
So, how do you create a planet-friendly workspace?
Creating an eco-workspace: get the basics right
Even if youâve worked from home before, youâve probably never really thought about your home work environment in the same way as your office space.
However, itâs worth putting some thought into creating a comfortable workspace that also ticks the boxes for your values too.
The best place to start is with considering the space youâve got available. You need to make best use of what youâve got, even if itâs just a cubby area under the stairs. Say goodbye to curling up on the sofa with the laptop, and instead put a desk and chair together that are designed for extended periods. Your back and comfort levels will thank you.
For the extra feel good factor, perhaps choose eco home office furniture which is made using sustainably sourced materials. Itâs hard to get comfort right when ordering online, but read product descriptions carefully, and try to find reviews, especially for the bigger purchases.
Natural light is really important to our wellbeing, particularly at work. So if possible, position your desk and chair in a spot flooded with natural light. Youâll feel more invigorated and energised for work.
Lastly, bring the outdoors in. Plants are proven to help reduce workplace stress, so why not surround your workspace with some greenery? If youâre tight for space, then make use of these beautiful crochet plant hangers. Made with 100% recycled cotton, and available in a range of colours, they definitely fit the green bill!
Get the details spot on
Once youâve created an eco-conscious home office with an ergonomically suitable desk and chair, as well as plenty of natural light and plants, itâs time to think about the details.
One of the biggest problems for homeworkers is that they are suddenly not moving so much anymore. Youâre no longer feeding your step counter walking around the office and nipping out at lunchtime. Yet movement is vital for your wellbeing and your productivity. Having created a beautiful space, you also need to encourage yourself to move around in it!
A great solution is to have another sitting area where you can move to. Perhaps this could be where you break-out to brainstorm an issue, or to hand-write some notes? We love this wine crate ottoman, using a restored French wine crate. Pair it with this stylish geometric cushion cover, made from linen, and youâll find yourself jumping up and down, back and forth to your desk all day. You can be sure that youâll also be the envy of your colleagues when they spot it in the background of your video calls!
Itâs also worthwhile to go out for your daily exercise, a walk, run or cycle, in the middle of your working day. This way youâll break up some of the monotony of working from home.
Feeling good with eco-friendly stationery
Lastly, your home office wonât be complete until you have kitted it out with some divine sustainable stationery. Who says you canât have the good stuff for fear of someone in the office pinching it?! You can now!
Treat yourself to these stunning Kreis desk tidies. Made in London using sustainably-sourced wood, they are absolutely perfect for a plastic-free home office. Youâll always be able to find your pen, the stapler and those pesky USB sticks that tend to go walk-about.
Then itâs time to think about your paper products. We have a whole section of our site devoted to eco-friendly stationery for you to choose from. But for those of you kitting out your home office for the lockdown, we really recommend a few items in particular.
Lockdown is making it really hard to focus on wellbeing and growth. With the monthly goals notepad and the Vital this week planner, youâll be back to thriving and focusing on your dreams and objectives, both around work and home life. Using vegetable inks, they certainly match the objective of creating an environmentally-friendly workspace!
Looking for an inspirational quote to put on your chart to start with thatâs suitable for inspiring you in lockdown? What about âI may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think Iâve ended up where I needed to be.â â Douglas Adams
Youâll probably find that working from home leads to you making more lists than ever. The perfect piece of sustainable stationery for the job is the today notepad. Again, printed using eco-friendly vegetable inks, the striking pink design will make sure that it always draws your attention.
Inject your personality into your workspace
Unlike at the office, you no longer have to conform. This is your opportunity to create a home office that reflects you and your personal values and style. Use items that youâve already got â thereâs nothing greener than that. Then choose your additional items for style and ethics.
Youâll feel incredible in your new home office or work area, and probably want to spend far more than your working hours there! And then, when all this is over, youâll still have an area of the home that is inspiring, and helps you achieve your own personal goals.