Working from home can be quite a hassle, especially if you don’t know how to create a good home office. The ongoing pandemic has forced us to adapt to remote working – and it’s actually yielding productive results. Initial findings are showing that people are much more attentive and productive when working from home, leading many to think that this will become more common in the near future. The only challenging part is setting up an ideal home office. Here is what it takes to come up with the best home office.
Choose a dedicated space
First of all, you must find a suitable location to set up your home office. This will depend on various factors like the size of your building. If you have a large house, you may find an extra room to locate your home office. If not, you will have to explore other options, like doing away with your comfortable Sumo Lounge huge bean bags in your living room. You may have to be prepared to make some sacrifices to fit your home office into a small home, but they will be worth it to create a fun and functional workspace in your home.
Invest in a good chair
Working with computers requires an upright posture, something ordinary chairs can’t provide. Your health is more important, and you don’t want to risk it by using a dining chair in your home office. Invest in an ergonomic office chair that gives you the comfort you need when working. The chair should have at least lower lumbar support and a place to support your arms and head. This will help to reduce aches and pains in your back. Consider using a footstool too, as having your feet elevated can reduce pain in your legs from staying seated for long periods.
Don’t forget about the storage
Most people forget about storage when planning a home office. Investing in a good storage system helps you tidy up your home office. Bookcases and filing cabinets can be useful, but don’t fill your space with an excessive amount of storage. You don’t need huge storage – a small drawer to store your files and documents will do. Plus, it will be good to get a lockable storage cabinet to keep your most important things safe – there are some things you can’t risk leaving unprotected.
Add some light
Now that you use your computer to do most of your office work does not mean you don’t need extra lighting. Locating your home office near a window will provide you with natural light. Just make sure the light does not shine directly to your monitor as this may create glare. If you have to invest in a light fixture, make sure it is designed for office use. You should consider using a ‘natural light’ bulb if possible, too. These emit a softer light that is similar to daylight and can help reduce headaches and migraines that can be caused by harsh artificial light tones.
Put Some Art on the Walls
Don’t leave the walls of your home office bland and uninspiring. You can use art to be motivational. Hang pictures on the wall that will add color and depth to your space, but can also be inspiring and give you some added motivation to keep working when times get tough. Consider hanging a picture of your dream vacation destination, or a portrait of a person you find inspiring. Aspirational art can also help you to become more productive. You can hang a picture of an exotic dream car or home in the country to remind you of what is possible with enough hard work and determination.
Tame your wires
There is no doubt you will need many wires and cords to connect your electric gadgets. However, you should try as much as possible to manage those wires if not doing away with cords. One way is to go wireless – buy a wireless mouse, printer, keyboard, among other things. Again, invest in a Wi-Fi system so that you are connected to the internet without having to use cords. Taking some time to tidy your wires, and even taping them out of the way if needed, makes your workspace safer for you and helps to keep your home office tidy and uncluttered, which helps to produce more productive work.
Bring some life into your space with plants
Plants are a fantastic addition to any office space. They can bring some life, literally, to your workspace as well as add color and texture. Some plants even offer added benefits that you may not have considered. Aloe vera is well-known as a plant that produces a lot of oxygen for its size, helping to keep the air fresh in your space. They also help purify the air, as they naturally remove toxins and particulates from your air as they breathe.
If you don’t have green fingers, or do not want the responsibility of looking after and maintaining a living plant, consider using plastic plants to get the same visual effect. Though they may not oxygenate your room or purify the air, they still add color to a room and make it a more welcoming space.
Stable internet connection
You will need a stable and high-speed internet connection for your home office. Wi-Fi is good for taming wires, but it may not be ideal for office work. If you want a good internet connection, then you should go for ethernet connections. These help you to maintain uninterrupted high speeds from your internet connection and ensure that you are always connected to your work systems. Good bandwidth is also needed for video calls, which are very common when working from home. Again, find a reliable high-speed internet service provider in your region to help you with matters to do with an internet connection.
Your level of productivity when working from home depends on how you set up your home office. The design of your home office should help you separate your work life from family life – if possible, create a barrier between your office and your house. Again, learn how to manage your time well. Invest in a good ergonomic office chair to avoid back problems.