Remote work has become increasingly prevalent in the modern job market. Some people absolutely love working from home, but others struggle with concentrating in a domestic environment. If you aren’t sure how to create a productive home workspace, try implementing these five tips and tricks. With a little trial and error, you are sure to figure out an at-home office set-up that works for you.

1. Get a Quality Desk

Your home office needs to have a place dedicated solely to your work. Thus, you need a desk. Desks for home offices come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Depending on your needs, you may require a spacious writing desk, a computer desk with cable holes and grommets, or a rolltop desk with many storage options. Shop around and see what works for you.

2. Keep It Organized

Once you have your desk, organize it. Dedicate each drawer to a single item type. Use jars, boxes, or spare mugs to separate your pens, pencils, and other writing utensils. Sort documents and papers into labeled and alphabetized file folders. There are more tricks that might work for you, so experiment until it feels right.

3. Bring In Nature

Plants are wonderful additions to home offices. They supply fresh oxygen, absorb airborne pollutants, and are pleasant to look at. Plus, having a living creature to nourish will benefit your mental health. Flowers, shrubs, and succulents are good options. If you don’t have a green thumb, cactuses make a unique desk plant with minimal care requirements.

4. Adjust Your Lighting

The blue light emitted from your computer screen can cause eye strain over long periods of time. To combat eye strain, allow natural light to flow in from your windows. Natural light is both economically friendly and an organic mood-lifter.

If you don’t have windows, don’t worry! Try swapping your traditional incandescent lightbulbs with energy-efficient options, like compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) or light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

5. Tame Your Cords

Desks can end up being a mess of wires and cables. After all, people need their computer chargers, their phone chargers, their Internet modems, and their other electronic devices nearby while they work. Not to worry – there are many modern solutions to address this modern problem. Invest in a cable management tray, organizer, or hub box to keep your cords organized and out of sight.

Working from home has its challenges, but it also has its benefits! Once you find a home office set-up that functions exactly how you need it, your productivity – and happiness – will skyrocket.