As a college student, you may be living in a studio apartment, especially if you do not have roommates. These apartments are smaller than other apartments that have multiple rooms. This makes it difficult to work from home, especially since it is crucial to have your work spot separate from your living space. However, with a little bit of effort, you can make working from home happen, even in your small studio apartment.
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Organization is key
If you have a lot of stuff, your space may feel packed and crowded, even if everything has its own space. This is magnified if things are all over the place without a proper home. Use storage containers to organize your space. Have designated spots for your items, especially your work supplies. You may even decide to have a separate storage space next to your desk or workspace that is designated for work and office supplies you may need. Having them in one place near your workspace will save you the time and hassle of ruffling through drawers of stuff you do not need.
Create separate sections
While your studio apartment is one room, you can use room dividers to create the feel of having different sections of the apartment. This will help you resist the temptation to work from bed, which can decrease your productivity. Create one section that functions as an office. This will include your desk and drawers of office supplies you may need so everything is all in one place. Having sections that break up work and living spaces helps you keep your work-life balance healthy and allows you to remain productive when you work from home.
Embrace natural light
Since your space is small, it is easy to feel cramped in your space. Using natural light, when possible, can help open up your space and make it feel larger than it is. Natural light can also boost your mood, making your workday just a little brighter. You may even decide to place a mirror in front of a window to reflect the natural light into your space to help maximize the amount of natural light coming into your space. Of course, there will be days when it is cloudier and darker, but taking advantage of sunlight when it is available can help your space feel bigger and brighter.
Function over aesthetics
When you live in your own apartment, it can be tempting to want to go all-out with decorating, especially if you do not have roommates and you get your apartment all to yourself. However, décor items take up your already limited space. It is crucial to focus on furniture pieces that are more functional than visually appealing as you need to maximize your space. Even your wall color should be a neutral color to help make your space feel bigger. This is not to say that there are no ways to make your space look cool, but the main focus should be on making your space as functional as possible.
Find a video call spot
When you work from home, it is inevitable that you will have a video call at some point. It is crucial that you find a professional-looking background within your apartment to do these calls from. It may be from the workspace you set up, or you may opt for a separate space. Hallways, closet doors, and bathrooms are good locations for your calls as they provide a professional background that is neutral.
Change of scenery
Even if you have a designated workspace, it can get boring after a while, especially after working in that one spot day in and day out. Having multiple spaces that allow you to do work can help you avoid getting into a rut. Just be sure you are able to put your work back in your designated spot at the end of the day so you are not tempted to work during off-hours. Also, you can rearrange the furniture in your workspace every so often to help keep things fresh.
Minimize distractions
Because you are working in your studio apartment, it is inevitable that you will be tempted to be distracted, especially if you have a TV and other things that are drawing your attention from your work. However, it is crucial that you do your best to minimize your distractions so you can remain productive while working. During your workday, keep your TV off and have your back turned to it so you are not tempted to watch it. If you have video games or even board games, keep them out of sight in a storage container so you are not tempted to play with them while trying to get your work done.
Working from home is challenging enough, but trying to figure out how to do so in a studio apartment is even trickier. However, with a few changes in perspective and room layout, it can be done successfully.
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