how-to-create-the-ultimate-relaxing-garden-office

How To Create The Ultimate Relaxing Garden Office in Your Backyard

Have you ever woken up in the morning and felt like not going to work that day? You just couldn't bring yourself to spend a day in the office and be productive.

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But what if your office were a minute away and located between flowers, surrounded by greenery? Would you still find it hard to get up and get on to work, motivated and inspired?

A growing number of people who work from home have eventually built themselves an office in their backyard garden. They have realized they have an excellent opportunity to bring together work and pleasure. Having a garden office brings you more benefits than you can imagine.

Why A Day Spent In The Garden Is Never A Day Wasted?

flowers

First of all, it's important to understand how strong the positive effect of a garden really is. The significance of hours spent among your plants is enormous when it comes to your state of mind and well-being.

Spending day in the garden means exposing yourself to sunlight. Sun rays induce the production of serotonin, the hormone of happiness. In other words, you will boost your mood just by simply being outside. Even if it's not a sunny day, fresh air will do you good.

Additionally, simple activities like raking or weeding are a mild form of physical exercises. It's a fact that physical activity releases endorphins in your body, lifting your mood and making you feel productive.

The levels of serotonin that are increased by being in the garden also mean you can prevent depression and anxiety or ease their symptoms. These modern mental health issues can be avoided if you expose yourself to the gentle influence of plants, sunshine and greenery.

Lastly, stress is the modern-day plague, affecting almost everyone on the planet. Your garden will provide you a release of tension that you need. You'll be able to decompress surrounded by natural sounds like birds chirping, bees buzzing and enjoying the view.

3 Reasons To Be A Busy Bee Outside

bee

And now coming down to why a garden office is such a great idea. Natural surroundings are not distracting, as one may think. On the contrary, it gives you various kinds of boosts you need to be effective at what you do.

An important benefit of a garden office is that a green, natural environment will improve your productivity. Just think how suffocating and demotivating it can be to sit in a stuffed cubicle. Your mindset is completely changed when you find yourself in an outdoor environment. Your memory is working better, you don't feel pressured and your mood is lifted.

It all results in increased productivity, meaning you'll get more things done in a shorter period of time.

Spending most of your day indoors could bring many negative effects when it comes to your mental and physical health. Indoor air contains 10 times more toxic elements than the fresh air outside. When you add to it the surroundings where stressed people have to be together in a crowded space - you get a stage perfect for the development of various physical and mental issues. A garden office means improving your health and overall well-being.

The visual appeal of a garden office is undeniable. It can also bring you an advantage with your potential clients and skillful employees. When you show them that your working space is focused on employees and their well-being, it will definitely increase interest in your business. A stunning, functional garden office can also mean you're creative, unique and able to think outside the box.

Common Sense And Accompanying Elements Are Necessary

If you decide that your garden office should be your DIY project, there are a couple of things to consider in order to maximize its benefits.

1. Solid Roof

solid-roof

Being an outdoor space, your garden office will be exposed to various weather conditions, specifically rain and snow. It's only smart to build a solid roof.

It will guarantee your office will stay dry no matter the precipitation. In case you are considering skylights, you can build them into a weatherproof roof. It will allow more sunlight inside the space. If you fit the skylights with shades, you will be able to adjust the amount of sunlight entering the office. This is highly advisable if you live in a region where very high temperatures are frequent, especially during midday.

Having a solid roof will also allow you to install fans and appropriate lighting. Ambient lighting is more important for artistic jobs while task lighting will be more useful to those working on a laptop. Either way, lighting fixtures will be more effective under a roof.

A ceiling fan is another useful roof installment, as it can get hot if there isn't much air movement. You'll be thankful for your fan with adjustable speed during humid days.

2. Wind Barrier

gazebo

When working out in the open, even a mild breeze can blow away you working papers or even distract you by creating a constant flutter. If you live in an area where winds are an everyday occurrence, then you should definitely install a barrier that will block or deflect the wind. You don't have to feel like you're in a closed room without a view if you use clear Plexiglas panels for that.

3. Appropriate Flooring

chair

Don't even think about having a smooth floor surface in your garden office. Once they get wet due to rain, they will become very slippery. On the other hand, a brick patio is also a mistake because it will make it hard to roll your office chair over it. The flooring for your garden office should best be made out of poured concrete combined with a smooth finish.

You will also need expansion joints in order to create an area without joints where your chair and desk will be. Follow the example of roller blades - if the surface is too rough for roller blades, then it will be too rough for an office chair, too.

4. Electricity And Internet

internet

The use of electronics in an outdoor space means demands careful planning. Using extension cords outside is not very safe, so the smart thing would be to install a weatherproof connectivity enclosure. There, you can hold the cable, phone and electrical cords. Also, you need to make sure that your Wi-Fi signal from the house is strong enough to reach the garden office. If not, it may be that you need to upgrade your plan or even look at alternative providers, such as att internet, to ensure you receive the connection and speeds that best suits your needs.

Next important thing needs to be smartly executed - all electrical devices should be close to your desk and laptop. It requires a detailed plan to create a well-positioned office – something that professionals consider during new office fit-outs.

Lastly, install a circuit that can hold plenty of power so that it doesn't overload when you simultaneously use several devices.

5. Insect Screen

butterfly

Insects usually don't bother us that much when we're outside unless we're trying to do some sensitive work. They could definitely break your focus and also cause damage to your electronic devices.

So, the usual screen porch is the simplest solution that will save you from the little ones. If you build a space with a solid roof, you can get curtains made out of insect screen that can be closed whenever you need them to be.

Prefabricated Home Offices – Leave DIY For Some Other Time

On the other hand, you don't have to actually build the garden office with your own hands. There are many prefabricated models on the market. You only have to decide which one suits your needs and fits into your garden.

1. Benefits Of Glazing

pots

A prefabricated office is different than a shed because it will provide you with a lot of glazing. You already know why plenty of sunshine and natural light is good for you. Furthermore, you won't feel trapped in a small working space when you get to see the surroundings behind the glass.

Look for an office that has a glazed door and one or two glazed windows. If you find one with skylights, too - even better. Some contemporary models come with recessed lighting which creates the impression of longer daylight.

2. Pods For Conventional Designs

garden-office

If you have a conventionally designed garden and you don't want the office to ruin it, then consider prefabricated pods. They will easily blend into their surroundings, especially because they have various customizable options. Some of them are so well-equipped that you can even use them as additional living space.

3. Decking To Blend In The Garden

decking

If you are searching for ways how to seamlessly blend the office into the garden, then add decking. It will represent a connection between the environment and the working space. Some prefabricated offices even include decking into their design. In case you don't have enough flat land for decking, then at least build a couple of decked steps.

Final Colorful Comment

In the end, you need to feel comfortable in your working space. After all, you will be spending at least 6-8 hours there almost every day. Spending them in a garden office which you carefully designed and constructed according to your own needs and preferences is a true blessing.

The feeling of freedom you'll have, the amount of inspiration you'll get and the peace of mind you'll achieve are priceless.

About the Author Laura Bennett

Hello, I’m Laura Bennett. I love nature especially when it comes to flowers and different kinds of plants. I started a very small garden behind my house and I named it Humid Garden. So, I created this blog to provide aspiring and inspiring thoughts about gardening for gardeners and anyone who has the intention of keeping a garden.

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