3 Tips for Setting Up a Home Office that Gets the Job Done
More and more people are choosing to work remotely rather than fulfil the traditional demands of reporting to a designated office space outside where they live.
In fact, working from home is preferable for entrepreneurs who are serving a larger community outside their locality.
And saying that most meetings can be set up online, it doesn’t matter where you site your base.
Ultimately, the professional and business-like feel of a traditional workplace can be brought alive anywhere – including your home.
So, how do you go about setting up a home office that is comfortable, efficient and measures up to the demand of your professional life? Here are 5 things to consider.
1) Space
It all begins with identifying a suitable workspace within your house. Obviously, it all depends on the kind of business or services you render.
Ideally, you don’t need a lot of space but ensuring a corner of the home that guarantees your privacy and eliminates distractions is essential.
Even so, are you expecting visits from clients or will your venture require an empty area for production and packaging of goods? Marking out a home space that satisfies these requirements is essential.
You should also consider your workflow and how much storage space is required to keep your home office from looking like a junkyard.
File cabinets, wall storage, or traditional shelving using office folders will help to keep things in the right place.
Above all, don’t overlook comfort – leave sufficient room to stretch and move around when you need to take a short break without stepping out.
2) Style
Working from home is no license to lose every sense of creativity and class – you must both be professional and artistic.
Choosing the right style boils down to need and creativity. You should opt for a style that gives the mental picture of being at work without losing personal touch.
The question of what chair and desk to buy is probably the most important decision that will define your home office experience.
A one-time Investment in ergonomic and trendy furniture is a wise choice that will save you the burden of seeking new furnishings in the future.
You can equally stimulate the senses by going natural with houseplants or simply getting a few befitting artworks to add color to your space.
Remember, your home office isn’t all business, add a little bit of fun and design to make the space come alive.
3) Light & Sound
Your home office space requires plenty of natural light for comfort and efficiency.
Setting your office furniture close to the direction of sunlight will offset the need for harsher sources of light during the day. Moreover, the view can keep your mind afloat when you need a little distraction.
Take care not to position your computers to reflect the light and affect screen viewing quality.
If you are lacking the luxury of a window in your home office, then opt for soft bulbs that will hang from the roof and probably work in a table lamp.
Continuous use of bad lighting can cause headaches, eye strain, tiredness and reduced efficiency in your day to day running of your business.
Finally, try out different lighting to discover what works best for you and depending on your taste, you might even consider varying the light fixtures to set a relaxed mood for work.