What better way to achieve both of these goals than to model your workspace after well-known celebrities who’ve forged great careers and reached super-high levels of success in their lives – while taking care of at least some of their work at home? Here’s what you can learn from them.
1. Choose a desk you love
Walk into the home office of Ellen Degeneres, host of the hit talk show, The Ellen Degeneres Show, and one of the first things you’ll notice is her desk. It’s big, it’s beautiful, and it entices you to want to sit down and work. Keep that in mind when choosing your own by selecting one you love enough to want to spend time at. Additionally, once you get your big, beautiful desk, be sure to maintain proper posture while you sit at it so you don’t hurt your health. This means using a chair that allows the bottoms of your feet to be flat on the floor, placing the monitor two to three feet from your face so you’re not leaning forward or back, and keeping the top of the monitor at eye level so your neck is positioned correctly.
2. Consider adding a designated sleep space
Arianna Huffington is an author, journalist, and actress famous for her role in supporting the importance of sleep, even publishing a book earlier this year titled The Sleep Revolution. According to her (and tons of research), taking rest breaks can bolster your productivity all day long. If your office is big enough, add a comfy little bed in the corner, giving you a place to nap for 40 minutes or so, increasing your alertness by 34%. Not enough space? At least take the time to wander into your bedroom, draw the shades, and crash out for a bit. You’ll feel better (and more productive) when you do.
3. Create a space that bolsters creativity
No one knows more about creativity than Neil Gaiman, award-winning science fiction author who has self-reportedly “achieved cult status” after publishing books like The Wolves in the Walls and The Truth Is A Cave In The Black Mountains. However, creativity like that isn’t something that comes easy – that is, unless you have a workspace that bolsters it. When setting up your own workspace, think about creativity. Would it help to put your desk near the window? What about doing what Gaiman does and using an out-building to work in? And on days when you’re not feeling it, make a contract with yourself to work anyway. Don’t forget to reward yourself when you do, so you stay motivated from the project beginning to the end.
4. Keep your home office organized
You simply can’t talk about organization without talking about Martha Stewart, entrepreneur and TV personality known for her many tips and tricks for decluttering your home. This helps tremendously as having an organized workspace can help you cut work-related expenses by 15-20%, which can really add up. Take the time daily to make sure everything is in its place, adding in weekly or monthly clean-up sessions to ensure that your home office is tidy and neat. Keep the items you use, store the ones you don’t but can’t throw away, and get rid of everything else. You’ll instantly feel clearer mentally and more energized physically, setting you up for a work day that is both productive and inspiring. Implement these four celebrity tips in your own home office and just imagine what you’ll be able to do. Who knows? Maybe you’ll soon find your own name in this type of article, sharing what you do with others since you’ve secured celebrity status too.
