Invest in a workspace that inspires

Today’s #GardenOfficeWeek sponsored post by The Garden Escape suggests how best to invest the savings you make by working from home:

Congratulations on the decision to join the ranks of the growing army of home workers.

You will no doubt have reached your decision, after much deliberation, partly based upon the savings you will make in time and money and the invaluable boost to your quality of life.

But have you given much thought as to how to utilise your savings? That to invest in a workspace will achieve not only greater happiness but also a more creative, productive and successful work life?

A degree of separation between home and work
The space in which we work has an enormous impact upon how we feel and how well we perform. Although a hastily cleared space at one end of the kitchen table may seem like heaven compared to your old desk, the novelty will wear off quite rapidly.

If you are to truly reap the rewards to be gained from working from home, a degree of separation between work and home life is a useful thing. Even if your office is just a short walk down the garden path, the physical demarcation can help you focus and concentrate, improving your productivity.

Just as importantly, closing the door to your workspace and walking away at the end of the working day will allow you to effortlessly switch into home mode. However, a gloomy and damp garden shed is no more likely to have you springing out of bed each morning than a cluttered corner of the house.

A touch of luxury
You will be spending much of your day at your desk and so having decided to invest in a workspace, you owe it to yourself to ensure it is a place in which you relish every moment. The spaces we occupy shape who we are and how we behave and have significant consequences for our psychological well-being and creative performance.

Invest in a little luxury, in an elegant and comfortable yet invigorating and inspirational place, perfectly tailored to your working methods. Offices from The Garden Escape are bespoke architect designs to your specification.

Lighting the way
Good lighting is essential. Natural daylight is by far the preferred option in terms of cognitive functioning and general mood, so you will need plenty of large windows combined with good quality lighting when the sun’s not up to the job.

Intelligent site specification is important to maximise the penetration of natural light whilst avoiding glare, and also to provide a pleasant outlook, preferably onto something green. Green is, after all, the colour of an oasis in the desert, of renewal and growth, and has a profound impact upon our mental state. Think about a natural sedum roof to add to your green footprint.

Workout while you work
If you are a fan of working out, install your favourite piece of gym equipment so that when inspiration eludes you or stress threatens to cloud your thinking, you can walk, jog, cycle or step your way back to a lucid, productive state.

Pop a shower room in a corner to quickly refresh yourself after your exertions, or alternatively, indeed additionally, a kitchenette in which to brew a much needed cuppa to oil your creative cogs.

Creature comforts
Ensure that your office has great ventilation on warm days, and is quick and inexpensive to heat in chilly weather. One of the principle advantages of an eco-friendly standalone office is that great insulation and a high degree of energy efficiency can be inexpensively woven into the fabric of the building.

And you can ensure maximum comfort at all times without it costing the earth, which is particularly useful if the rest of the family spend most of the day outside of the main home.

Beautiful inspiration
Finally, invest in a workspace that is beautiful and aesthetically pleasing, both inside and out. A building that compliments the natural beauty of your garden, whilst seamlessly allowing you to gaze out upon your lovely surroundings while you ruminate and cogitate.

A space that is simultaneously tranquil and exhilarating, that allows your creative potential to be harnessed and then released in a steady flow of great ideas and fantastic work. A place in which you can be happy, healthy and productive: the perfect recipe for success.

Enjoyed this? We have a wealth of information about building and working in garden offices.