Usually, when I work from home in my small urban apartment I find myself sitting cross-legged on my bed with a pillow on my lap to prop my laptop on. Since I’ve been working remotely in light of the coronavirus, I realized that I needed a designated workspace that didn’t wreck my back and tempt me to slip into a nap.
Now that I’ve switched to my Subtl Beauty routine, all I need is my stack when it comes to makeup. Since I didn’t have a need for an entire space dedicated to getting ready, I converted my vanity into something more productive using a few reorganization and storage techniques.
Before
After
Here’s what I did to convert my vanity to a workspace:
Step 1: Clear the space
I stored my hair products and perfume bottles in a bin below my desk. I already had a drawer that I stored my makeup in so I just put away anything that was out. I sanitized the surface for good measure.
Step 2: Repurpose your brush holder to be a pen holder
I gathered my makeup brushes and stored them in a plastic bag in my makeup drawer. I used my brush holder to hold my pens and pencils instead.
Step 3: Bring your desk set up home
I grabbed my laptop stand, mouse and keyboard from work and brought it home. Having the same set up in my home workspace helps me stay on task.
Step 3: Add a pillow to your desk chair for more back support
The chair at my vanity doesn’t provide much support for my back, so I improved it by adding a small pillow.
Step 4: Add a small lamp to the desk
Working in the dark can strain your eyes, so find a lamp in your house to temporarily use as a desk light while you work. Luckily, I already had a lamp on my vanity so this step was easy for me.
Step 5: Keep some essential oils or a candle within reach
I think it’s safe to say we are all a little stressed out by current events, and working from home can make us even more stressed. I keep a small bottle of lavender essential oil to rub on my wrists so I stay calm while working.
Step 6: Keep a notebook close by to jot ideas down
If I don’t write something down, I’ll forget it. That’s why I keep my notebook to write my to-do list along with any new ideas that pop into my head.
While the circumstances under which most of us are working from home aren’t ideal, studies have shown that “working from home, not only benefits employees by eliminating their daily commutes, it also increases productivity and leads to healthier lifestyles.”
Having a designated workspace is an important part of establishing a productive work-from-home routine. As long as you have a table and a chair, you can turn just about any spot into your at-home workspace with these simple tweaks.