After being given the chance to work from home for a while during the pandemic, it looks like there will be a lot more people needing a permanent home office set up to accommodate the new normal.
When building your home office, you’ll want to make sure that the space is functional, comfortable, and inspiring. Whether you’re setting up in a spare room, the basement, or just a little nook in your bedroom, you’ll want the space to look and feel like an office so you can be productive in it.
To help you create a better home office setup, we’ve rounded up these tips for you.
Make it comfortable, but not excessively so
Comfort should be a top priority when setting up your home office. One of the most common problems that people who work from home have reported is frequent neck and back pain which can be caused by a chair that’s not meant to be sat on for long periods of time and/or by using furniture that’s not meant for an office/home office set up (e.g. your dining table or that plastic folding table you got from the garage).
Invest in a proper office chair or a gaming chair. These types of chairs are meant to be sat on for longer periods of time. If you don’t already have one, get a proper desk as well. If you have the budget, an adjustable desk would help greatly with neck and back pains, too.
Of course, you wouldn’t want to make your setup too comfy to the point where you fall asleep there instead of getting work done. If possible, avoid setting up anywhere near your bed, and don’t bring a blanket or your nap pillow to your workstation.
Ensure a great internet connection
You won’t be able to do anything without a fast internet connection so, if you don’t already have one, sign up for the best internet service provider in your area. If you already have one but the signal isn’t so good in the area where you’ve decided to set up your home office, you can get a Wi-Fi mesh or a Wi-Fi extender to boost the connection there.
Take advantage of natural light
Lighting plays a huge factor in people’s productivity and natural light unlocks a plethora of health and wellness benefits for people working indoors (i.e. an office or inside their homes). Having access to natural light while you work can also help decrease drowsiness and prevent eye strain which is another common issue that people have reported while working from home.
Invest time and money in cable management
Always distracted when working from home? It could be from all the clutter surrounding your workstation. Look around and notice how many cables there are on the floor, the wall, your desk. Cable management is often overlooked but investing time and money in this aspect can greatly improve your home office setup and performance. You can DIY this or you can hire a professional to do it for you. At the end of the day, it’s one of the best investments you can make for your home office setup.
Create an effective storage system
Working from home means having everything you used to have in the office in your home as well including the paperwork, the office supplies, and all the other paraphernalia you need to do your job. All these additional stuff can create clutter without proper storage so make sure you create an effective storage system for your work stuff. Buy a file cabinet or a cubby shelf to give everything its proper home.
Whether you’re setting up in a spare room, the basement, or just a little nook in your bedroom, you’ll want the space to look and feel like an office so you can be productive in it and we hope these tips help you achieve just that.