(my most recent home office/workspace)

(updated 2024)

Tips for Making a Home Office/ Workspace that feels relaxed and productive

If you work from home or in a noisy environment you need to create a calm, productive workspace or home office.

Like many other small business owners (bloggers/freelancers/creatives) you can either find me in a local coffee shop or my couch/bed with my laptop. The problem with that is you always need to pack away all your work things every time you’re finished so I have been making a concerted effort to have a functional and relaxing workspace at home. Read on to see my top tips for creating a productive home office that’s also very calming. I’ve been working from home for years now so I think I have some good home office ideas for you.

 

Light for a productive and calm workspace

Natural light! I am so happy the days are getting longer again. I really struggle throughout the winter with minimal lighting. Humans need sunlight so if you can set up your workspace near a window. Mine is right next to a relatively big south facing window. Fresh air is always good too; let the light and air in!

But if you can’t or if you need to work in the evening I also use a day light desk lamp (affiliate link) . Many have different light settings that make it similar to day light or give a warmer feel. It’s perfect for making dull days brighter and nights cosier.

 Add a Relaxing Candle

Candles are an excellent choice, not only do they smell nice but the flickering candle adds an extra touch of relaxation. I have a couple on rotation at the moment; one from Aldi (the Jo Malone dupes) in Fig and Cassis. I’ve blogged about Aldi candles before (the Diptyche dupes here) and I think these are some of the best budget candles you can get.

The Fig and Cassis is my first Jo Malone dupe candle and I’m going to pick up some more. One of the reasons I like the Aldi candles so much is because they give a subtle scent, which I much prefer and the fig and cassis is just gorgeous. Aldi candles also last for ages as well as burning evenly. A great budget treat that feels much more indulgent than the price determines.

Amazon have a great selection of soy wax candles  (affiliate link) (which are better than paraffin based ones). Perfect for adding a relaxing scent like lavender, or seasonal smells like like fir or cinnamon for Christmas time.

 

Add Relaxing and Calming Scents

Alternatively I was gifted some beautiful room fragrances from The Velvet Co*. I am loving their Dark Amber and Ginger lily candle*. Although this is a smaller candle than Aldi’s I find it fills the room more. Plus The Velvet Co are an independent small British business. All the candles are hand poured and come in beautiful glass packaging that is recyclable and the ingredients are vegan. There are a range of candles available which you can have a look at here, 

If you’re not keen on candles (which I wasn’t until recently) I recommend room diffusers or an aroma diffuser. The Velvet Co also kindly gifted me English Pear room diffuser*. I’m a big fan on diffusers especially if you have a small child or are a tad forgetful. The Velvet Co diffuser fills the room with it’s beautiful fruity and refreshing scent which everyone in my family loves too.

I also have this lovely little aroma diffuser from Amazon (affiliate link) which I absolutely love! I use Gya Labs essential oils (affiliate link) with it. I’ve tried quite a few different ones including Tisserand but the Gya Labs have definitely been my favourites so far.

I especially love their petitgrain, lemongrass and bergamot, which if mixed together smells very similar to Le Labo Bergamote 22 (one of my favourite perfumes). Adding scents that are uplifting and relaxing is a quick fire way to make your workspace calming, and you can do it on a budget.

 

 Add Plants and Greenery

My advice in general is to put all the plants everywhere! I love having greenery in my home and adding plants, even if it is a tiny cactus, to your workspace instantly makes it more inviting and relaxing. Both plants I have on my desk were presents from my mum who is a big plant lover herself.

When I was growing up our house was covered in them and she still has her house full of plants. If you’re unsure about plants you could always start with an easy choice like a cactus. Ikea is definitely one of my most favourite places for plants, they’re both affordable and generally in good health.

 

Drinks and Snacks: Keep Hydrated and Comfortable

Hydration is important so keep a water bottle at your side, and that’s also my general life advice. There are no shortage of options for a good water bottle but I do love my Chilly’s water bottle (aff link). It keeps water cold for absolutely ages.

I also like to have a coffee while I work (and do pretty much anything else). To prevent it from going cold you must have a travel mug. That’s actually my top parenting advice. Invariably you won’t be able to sit down and have your hot drink when you have a baby/ toddler/ child so invest in a good travel mug. I love my Thermos travel mug (aff link), it keep my coffee warm for hours.

Similarly for working, an insulated travel mug will keep your drink warmer for longer avoiding the terrible disappointment of drinking it cold. You’ll also need snacks to keep you going. While it’s always nice to have cake or chocolate I actually recommend some dried fruit and nuts (Lidl do some nice packets btw, I recommend those!). These are packed full of nutrients and you can always add chocolate (or cacao) nibs for an extra bit of indulgence.

Take Regular Breaks

Regular breaks are important, especially if you have chronic pain or other health problems. Pacing is a big part of how I cope with chronic pain. It takes a bit to figure out where your limits are and that also changes regularly. If you don’t do pacing for your pain (or other health problems that might benefit from it) I highly recommend trying it, it makes such a difference.

If you’re short on space a walking pad (aff link) is an excellent solution. It folds easily away and you can also use it if you have a standing desk (aff link).

Taking breaks is just good in general, even if you don’t physically/mentally need to. The break keeps you fresh and could prevent back pain etc associated with sitting at a desk for too long. Something else I recommend is checking on where your shoulders are.

More often than not you’ll find your shoulders bunched up, holding a lot of stress. Drop them down and do some rotations, including your neck. Stretching is good. If you find that by the end of the day (or whatever you working hours are) you’re still feeling tight and sore it’s time for a long relaxing bath.

Long relaxing baths should just be part of your life anyway. The Velvet Co also gifted me Earl Grey and Cucumber bath salts*. I love dead sea bath salts and they’re a regular part in coping with chronic pain. Dead sea salts help ease muscle pain and stiffness as well as easing the symptoms of skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema. The Earl Grey and Cucumber bath salts from The Velvet Co are soothing and refreshing, a perfect end to the day.

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Get Noise Cancelling Headphones

A good pair of noise cancelling headphones is a great addition to your home office/workspace. They are especially important if you have a noisy home and need to concentrate.

I have been using Anker Soundcore Q30 Hybrid Active Noise Cancelling Headphones (affiliate link) and they’re really good for the price. Noise cancelling is good and sound quality is great too. They come with an app where you can adjust the equaliser so they make a great affordable choice for listening to music too.

List of things you need for a calm and productive home office/workspace

• Candles: some of my favourites (includes affiliate links) including this beautiful forest scented candle, this calming candle, and these amazing mini mindful moments candles, perfect for taking breaks.

• Diffusers: including this gorgeous scented diffuser from Beauty Pie, or this aromatherapy diffuser.

• Drinks: this beautiful handmade mug, or this sustainable water bottle.

• Noise cancelling headphones: these amazing Bose noise cancelling headphones, or these Sony noise cancelling headphones.

• Art: some of the prints in the very first photo is by Afton by Palm, create a wall art gallery with this bundle.

Pin for Later!

These are my top tips for making your workspace welcoming and calming. Would you add anything else to the list?

 

(The Velvet Co kindly sent me some products to try. All thoughts my own).

 

Tags: home office, productivity, workspace