Whether you had been working from home for a while, or if you’ve only just started due to the COVID-19 pandemic, you will agree with us: working remotely is the future. Flexible working offers a huge array of benefits, both affecting your personal and professional life.
Better work-life balance, greater focus, reduced stress levels and increased productivity are some of the most impressive advantages of the WFH model. If you think that you necessarily need a dedicated room in your house to turn into an office, then you might want to think again.
Setting up a home office wherever you live, and however much space you have available is definitely possible. How can you achieve this? Just read on and you’ll discover how to create your ideal home office in nine easy steps.
1. Pick a Quiet (and Sizeable) Area of Your Home
First of all, you want to identify a spot in your house that would make for the perfect office area. This could be a corner in your lounge, or a section of your kitchen, or (for the really lucky ones!) a conservatory or sunroom in your backyard.
You want this space to be large enough to comfortably accommodate some office furniture, and you want it to be in a quiet, peaceful part of your home.
For example, if you think your lounge would work very well, but it’s also where your kids tend to play and watch tv, then opt for the kitchen. Making sure you can remain focused and motivated is key to enhancing your productivity when working from home.
2. Make Sure It’s Well Lit
Another essential feature of your home office is the lighting. This can and should be natural light, which has been proven to be beneficial to our moods and overall well-being.
But if the only available corner of your home is also a pretty dark one, then you can still achieve great results with artificial lighting. You could either opt for a ceiling lamp, spotlights, or a table lamp – or a combination of all of these.
Just make sure the end result is pleasant and not too overwhelming: the last thing you need is getting a headache from an excessive amount of light!
3. Ensure Connectivity Is Good and There Are Plenty of Sockets Nearby
A home office wouldn’t be functional or efficient without a reliable Internet connection as well as lots of power sockets. If you were thinking about setting up your home office in the attic, for example, or in a corner of the basement, you might need to check whether your internet connection is still working at the speed and quality that you need.
If not, then you should definitely reconsider the area, as you really can’t get away with poor, unreliable internet when you work remotely. Similarly, you’re going to need to have a few power sockets nearby — at least a couple. If you work using a laptop, smartphone, or other digital device, chances are that you’ll have to charge them pretty often.
The more electrical equipment you need (photocopier, printer, scanner, lights, sound system, and so on) the more power sockets you’ll want to have within easy reach. Setting up your home office can also present you with a great opportunity to upgrade your computer. If you need some inspiration and a really good deal, then check out the current offers on lenovo.com.
4. Invest in a Comfy, Good Quality Chair
This is an essential feature of your new working environment: a great quality, comfortable desk chair. This is especially important if you are working from home newbie, used to sitting all day in a big and bouncy office chair.
Most offices, these days, offer their employees ergonomic chairs that promote healthy posture. Switching from something like that to your regular dining chair is going to be a bit of a shock, so your best bet is to try and replicate the feeling of comfort that you used to get in the office with the right type of chair.
5. Add Some Feel-Good, Personal, and Motivational Touches
Something you might not have been able to do in your office was to include some truly personal touches to your workstation. Well, the great news is that, now that you’re working from your own home, you definitely can!
Whether it’s a few and particularly nice family photos, or a print with your favorite quote, or that gorgeous succulent that you’ve wanted for a while, you are totally free to add whatever you feel might give you a boost of creativity and motivation when working.
As long as you keep it low-key and don’t overdo it, each tiny little piece can work together to create a space that promotes focus, productivity, and a positive attitude.
6. Have Plenty of Office Supplies and Storage Solutions
If, on the one hand, you want to personalize your office space to help keep your motivation high, you also need to remember that this little corner will still need to resemble an actual office. What does this mean?
First of all, you’re going to need to stock up on some essential office supplies, such as printing paper, pens, staplers, a calculator, and some post-its. Then, you’ll want to build a well-thought-out filing and storage system so that all of your work-related documents and paperwork are easy to store and find.
Making sure that your office area retains some basic office vibes is essential if you want to feel encouraged to perform at your best while at home. Having all your must-haves within easy reach will also mean not wasting time looking for stuff that you need ASAP.
7. Avoid Distractions
Another crucial element of your home office is the fact that it needs to be absolutely free of any sort of clutter. If you’ve finished setting up your workstation at the weekend, spend some time on Sunday evening checking whether there are any items lying around that you don’t need.
Of course, you can and should keep things that will help you feel focused and driven while at the same time more relaxed and at ease, but banish anything that doesn’t serve this purpose. Is that pile of old magazines really necessary, or could it become a distraction? And how about the TV in the other corner of the room?
Don’t be afraid to be too rigid: if you feel like an object in your office space might derail you from reaching top productivity levels, then either move it or bin it. You’ll thank yourself later when your boss praises your great achievements.
8. Know When to Take Breaks – and Take Them!
Now, just because you are working at home it doesn’t mean that you’re not entitled to breaks. Taking some time off every now and again is not only refreshing, it is also necessary. Without the right amount of rest, your brain simply won’t cope with your workload, and you will end up damaging your efficiency.
So, remember to take at least 5 minutes of break every couple of hours. Sit up and stretch your legs, make yourself a cup of tea or coffee, ring a friend for a quick chat. And on those days when your workload is not too overwhelming (yes, it will happen!) why not take one long break and do something outdoors?
You could go for a run or a brisk walk, take an online fitness class, cook yourself a hearty and nutritious meal, or play with your kids or your dog. The possibilities are truly endless. Just make sure you make this a habit, and your mental wellbeing and work performance will hugely benefit.
9. Add the Color Green Somewhere in Your Home Office
Last but not least: have you thought about a color palette for your home office? You don’t actually need to go overboard with it or suddenly become an interior designer — simply add a splash of color to see your office area come to life.
What color is best for your new working environment? Research has revealed that adding something green can make you feel refreshed and re-energized. Pop a couple of plants by your desk or on the windowsill, place a green rug under your office chair, or buy some cozy green cushions.
If you feel particularly inspired, why not try your hand at painting the walls a lovely, calming green shade?
Setting up a Home Office Has Never Been Easier
If you follow these simple tips, you’ll realize that setting up a home office is not only possible but also very fun and easy.
Remember that you’ll need to invest in good-quality, office-grade furniture, pick a peaceful, distraction-free area of your house, and keep it tidy and well organized. But don’t forget to add some personal touches that reflect your style and give you a motivation boost.
Are you ready to work better, smarter, and more productively in your home office? If you’ve enjoyed this article, then why not head over to our website and check out the rest of our posts?
