Working from home might seem like the perfect solution to leaving the rat race and setting up on your own. Indeed, it’s something we’ve done ourselves. It doesn’t come without its problems though, and despite your initial thoughts, you will often find yourself working longer hours and harder for yourself than you ever did for anyone else.
Balancing a young family and working from home is quite a juggling act, and often finding somewhere that provides the privacy to take calls, pound the keyboard and pretty much do anything that requires any thinking at all can often be a hurdle to overcome. Setting up a dedicated home office is the ideal solution. The good thing is that you do not need much space at all in order to create the perfect work environment. Even better, by following a few simple steps and choosing the right office furniture, you can make it a fully functional, productive and creative area from which to work. Here’s how:
Think about the layout
When designing your home office there are a few key questions you need to consider when you think about the layout, such as how you will be using it, what you require within it and whether you will have clients visiting you in it. If you are using it solely as your own workspace you only need to focus on creating a desk area, an area for office machines such as printers and shredders, and storage. If you expect to meet clients you will also need to provide adequate provisions for a seating area in addition to your working area.
Find the right furniture to suit your needs
Finding the right office furniture isn’t just about suiting your needs but also suiting the amount of space you have available within it. Ascertaining your needs as stating above will clarify the requirements of what you do need in your home office – and what you don’t.
Selecting desks depends not only on the job you will be doing and the space you have available. A basic workstation will be adequate if computer work is minimal but if this is your main requirement, a comfortable executive desk as spacious as room allows will be more practical.
It is crucial that your health and safety is considered so don’t scrimp on inadequate furniture that causes issues to you physically. You will be spending a considerable amount of time working so ergonomically designed furniture is paramount to keeping you comfortable, supported and consequently, keeping you productive. Supportive office chairs with adjustable height and tilt facilities can be adapted to suit your own particular needs, whilst a foot rest helps to keep your body in balance.
Efficiency is key
Keep your office space as far separated from your usual home space as possible. Whilst it’s fine to have some home comforts and tailor it to your style, do not forget that it is an work space first and foremost, not somewhere to relax and unwind. This is where you need to keep productivity at its highest so make it work for you. Remove any distractions that do not need to be there. No televisions or magazines that might take your attention away from the job you need to do! Make sure the equipment you are using is fully functional and speedy. Is it time to update that computer you’re working from?
Ensure your office has adequate storage available for your needs. It might be that you need to incorporate shelving or under desk storage solutions which will help keep on top of any clutter and help to create a functional, neat and streamlined working area.
Keep it light
Poor lighting can lead to a whole range of issues including headaches, blurred vision and eye strain, which in turn will affect your ability to work and productivity over all. Daylight is the best solution so let in as much as possible. Remove curtains and replace with adjustable blinds to allow as much daylight in as your room allows, but enabling you to adjust to avoid glare. Daylight lamps are a great solution when natural daylight as limited or for darker rooms
