Many people have an area at home they call ‘their office’ or ‘study area’. This might simply be a desk in the corner of a room with a laptop on it or it may be a dedicated room. Some people occasionally work from home or have a side project that requires some hours to be dedicated to it. Other people work from home full-time and they need a space that is correctly set up.
Having a poor workspace at home can lead to wasted time searching for important papers or being interrupted by your children so ideally you want a room set aside for your work. Somewhere that is your space alone. However, sticking a desk in an empty room doesn’t make it an office so here are some ways you can give your space a bit of an upgrade.
Working from home
Remote working is becoming more popular, partly because of the recent pandemic and also because companies are realizing that employees can work effectively from home and therefore less office space is needed and other costs can be reduced. Alternatively, you may just be looking for a way to start your own home business.
Regardless of why you are remote working to be productive and carry out your usual responsibilities you will need the right environment and proper equipment. Assuming you are working online and are desk-based these few things may be of help.
Adjustable desk and seating
Homeworking requires a lot of sitting down. This may sound obvious but you need to be comfortable and for that, you need the right workstation. Buying an ergonomic office chair is going to bring a lot of comforts if you choose wisely. You need to look at a few areas. You want a breathable material as you will be seated for long periods and ideally don’t want to be sweating. Also, look for good lumbar support with an adjustable backrest. Armrests are important and the whole chair should be easily adjustable for height and with a good width to the seating area.
When it comes to your desk things are very different these days. No longer do you just pick an office desk to sit at. There are many more options today that take in modern work ideas. You will normally think about a desk as something that you sit at but this isn’t necessarily so now. There is a lot of discussion about the merits of working while standing up and the health benefits associated with it. You can buy height adjustable desks online so there is no worry about having to transport one from the retailer. These desks allow you to change the height so that you can sit or stand at it.
Lighting
Another area you may want to upgrade is your lighting. Natural light is the most important type you can get but of course, you will need to use artificial lighting sometimes, in winter or when working late for instance. Desk lamps are better than fluorescent ones and also you could consider a SAD lamp. Seasonal affectual disorder affects many people and these lamps can help give sufferers a boost.
Decorate your space
A bit of color on the walls will brighten up any area. Add some pictures or posters plus some plants and you are starting to get a proper office space of your own.
Overhaul your equipment
Are your computer and its accessories a bit dated? You don’t need a top-end gaming machine but understanding desktop PCs will help you to make the right purchase. Could you do it with a bit more processing speed or in fact do you just need a new HD monitor so you can work easier.
Look at your accessories and consider what your work entails and what you could do with it. A printer, extra storage space, or an ergonomic keyboard. Maybe you are a designer, if so, consider a graphics tablet to speed up your work.
Organize your space better
Bring in some shelves if necessary or a cabinet where you can store your papers and files. Reduce wiring and clutter so you can keep the office smart and orderly. This not only makes the space look better but reduces trips and spills and you will be able to work easier.
Summary
Working from home can be enjoyable as you can avoid certain areas of bureaucracy and be more productive. By improving your office you will enjoy your home working area more. Once you have everything running you can add little touches to make things better such as a small water cooler, put a gym mat in so you can take an exercise break, or do yoga for half an hour. Buy headphones with a microphone attached for conference calls and makeup playlists to help get you through the day.
