How to Create a Home Office You'll Want to Work In
The best way to ensure a successful stay-at-home career is to create the perfect home office.
24/10/2019
Having the freedom to work from home is undoubtedly a privilege, albeit one that comes with its own unique set of challenges. Working in the same place that you eat, play, relax, and sleep can be difficult, which is why so many people who work at home initially struggle to stay productive.
The best way to ensure a successful
stay-at-home career is to create the perfect
home office. Your home office should be
somewhere that both feels like home and is also
separate enough from your home for you to
actually get some work done.
Here are the top
design tips for creating a home office you will
actually want to work in.
1. Choose the Right Spot
The first step for creating the perfect home office is to find a spot that is conducive to your productivity. This ideally means choosing a closed-off room that is separate from your living space. If you don't have a spare room, try to find a nook or cranny that allows for maximum privacy. You'll also want to choose somewhere with plenty of natural light, as a dingy home office will do little to inspire you.
2. Embrace the Ergonomic
The right level of comfort is key. Invest in an ergonomic office chair to do your work in, one with plenty of back support and an adjustable seat. The worst thing you can do is choose to do your work on a sofa or an appropriated dining chair. You should also opt for an adjustable monitor so that you can set it at the right eye level for your health. You might also want to embrace the latest ergonomic office trend by investing in an adjustable standing desk from Uplift to keep you active throughout the working day.
3. Choose a Break-Time Activity
Your home office shouldn't just be a place purely for work. Choose a breaktime activity you can do in your office that will allow you to punctuate the working day and take the occasional breather. One of the best ways to do this is with a stimulating online game that you can play at your desk, such as an online slot game. There are many options. For example, you can opt to play Raging Rex online, a popular, easy-to-play 6-reel slot, complete with stimulating colours and music that you can easily play for 5-minute intervals. Regular breaks such as these always aid productivity.
4. Storage is King
A common complaint about home office working is that you often end up with a mess of papers and files strewn all over the place. Keeping your home office clear and tidy is crucial for getting the most out of the space, so invest in sensible storage from the outset. Filing cabinets may not be the most glamorous options, but you can grab some sleek and stylish ones from vendors such as Wayfair which will perform the necessary functions without messing up your aesthetic.
5. Set Yourself Office Hours
Finally, it's important to treat your home office as you would any other workspace. Set yourself normal office hours, ideally a 9 to 5, so that space stays distinct from the rest of your living space. If you end up sneaking into your home office in the middle of the night to catch up on work or taking your meals in there, the lines will quickly become blurred, and you will find it difficult to stay productive.
These simple tips should be followed by anyone who is planning on setting up a home office. They will ensure that you get the most value out of the space and continue to maintain a healthy work-life balance throughout your career.