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As we continue to work from home, our team has come together to think about the reasons Warwick Conferences’ creative spaces allow for such engaging sessions. Here are our top tips on recreating comfortable and inspiring work setups at home.

Make it comfortable

On average, employees spend around 35 hours a week working. With so many of these hours now being spent in the same place, comfort is key. Adding a bit of padding can do wonders for making everything feel more relaxing, encouraging you to think outside the box more and concentrate on what you’re doing rather than feeling uncomfortable.

As tempting as setting yourself up in bed may be, we all know this would be counterproductive – not to mention bad for your back. This doesn’t mean you can’t grab your duvet and spread it out on the floor to sit on though. Similarly, bean bags are a great way to add a little cosiness and put you in the right frame of mind to generate fresh ideas.

To recreate the comfy sofas dotted around Warwick Conferences you could even spend some time on your sofa at home to mix things up a bit.

All of these solutions will help you to enter a different head space when working from home, even if you just use them as your designated brainstorming spots.

Bring the outdoors in

There’s a reason you see so many plants spread throughout our meeting and conference venues. They have been found to boost your mood, productivity, concentration and creativity, and implementing this at home will also help boost your creativity.

Studies suggest being around nature improves people’s attention capacity, relieves stress and increases concentration. With emails pinging through and demanding urgent attention, plants help to maintain feelings of calm and tranquillity, better equipping workers to deal with any challenges they may face.

Some employees may be lucky enough to be positioned where they have an excellent view of the nature outside when working, but for those who don’t it’s easy to bring the outside in.

Introducing greenery to your working environment doesn’t have to mean turning it into a jungle (unless you want to, of course).

Simply adding one small plant to your desk can bring life into the room. So, whether you make a small change and invest in a low maintenance cactus, or go all out and build up an indoor plant collection, incorporating green into your home office has a restorative effect and will help to replenish your attention.

Stock up on refreshments

When visiting conference venues, there’s nothing better than spotting the selection of hot drinks and exciting snacks. Our freshly baked cookies and selection of nuts, seeds and fruits have been sought after by a number of our clients since we had to close our doors during the pandemic.

However, the selection at home tends to be less extravagant and it’s also often tucked away in the kitchen, making it tricky when you’ve got a day of virtual meetings. So, why not set up your own snack station filled with essential nuts, seeds and fruit to aid energy and concentration levels throughout the day?

Whether putting a kettle or teapot close by or making a designated fruit bowl, being able to give your brain the boost it needs is important. At Warwick Conferences, delegates benefit from breaks throughout the day which are often accompanied by refreshments. Ensuring that you take five minutes away from your laptop is key, and no one can argue the benefit of having an emergency snack or hot cup of tea to lift your spirits.

Add colour and texture

From bold block colours to intriguing patterns, adding eye catching designs to your home office will brighten the space. Being surrounded by interesting decorations will put you in a more creative mindset, which is why our creative spaces often have a feature wall.

Adding a splash of colour and a range of texture doesn’t necessarily require going out and buying new wallpaper and paint, either.

Instead, introducing pillows and blankets can be used to make your space look more welcoming. Decorative additions such as lamps, plant pots or mood boards can also help to add personality to your office without permanently changing anything.

Invest in a whiteboard

When sat at home it can be tricky to push your mind to go one step further to think of brand-new ideas which is why it’s good to have a way to brainstorm ideas and get outside of your own head.

Feedback from our delegates, who use our creative spaces for brainstorming new ideas, often comment on the importance of our large whiteboard walls.

And while we wouldn’t suggest transforming whole walls into a whiteboard, investing in a miniature version can be a great way to jot down ideas and get the creative juices flowing.

Get the lighting right

External events venues have specially designed lighting to keep productivity and concentration at the optimum level. At home it can be all too easy to either work in light which is too harsh or too low, which could lead to headaches and eye strain. To avoid this, consider using a few different light sources.

Positioning yourself near a source of natural light is preferable, however this is not always an option for everyone. In such cases, lamps are an ideal solution.

Lamps bounce light off the ceiling and floor to avoid being glaringly bright, while they can also be easily moved into the prime position depending on where you sit. They also provide back up lighting for the grey, overcast days which limit the amount of natural light for anyone able to be sat near a window.

Final thoughts

Implementing these tips will help to recreate the imaginative spaces at Warwick Conferences while employees continue to work from home, keeping morale and concentration levels high at a time when many are struggling.

We are continuing to operate in line with government guidance to be able to welcome delegates back soon. If you are looking to plan an event, get in touch with our team to find out what creative spaces we have available.

Emma Willis

Industry professional with 25 years experience, working across many roles within hotels and for a large cruise ship company, with 17 years spent at Warwick Conferences. Emma’s position involves working within the national and international association sector and managing key partnerships with UK clients to seek out and build strong, long-term relationships.

E dot Willis dot 1 at warwick dot ac dot uk

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