Image Courtesy: Sean MacEntee
In a desperate attempt to cut overhead costs, many companies are seriously considering letting their employees work from home. Just the thought of having to set up your very own home-office can get anyone excited. However, you have to make sure that you have a home-office that works for you.
Here are 4 very important tips to keep in mind:
1. Pick an appropriate location
The first challenge when setting up a home office is deciding where to have it in the house. With so many rooms to choose from and a variety of factors (kids, spouse’s working hours, pets, etc.) to consider, this is the most important decision you will be making with regards to the home-office.
Community Manager and owner of the blog Blogging Perspective Zach Beauvais’ home office in Harrogate, United Kingdom – Photo Courtesy: Zach Beauvais
Remember, when you are working, the home-office area should be out of bounds so that you can concentrate on your work without distractions. Quite often, renovating the basement or a garage is a very popular option for setting up a home office. In recent years, people have even started setting up home-offices in the attic; not a bad proposition if the attic is well ventilated and insulated.
2. Get the right furniture
Failing to get the right furniture is the number one mistake people often make. People think that just because it is a “home”-office, it would be okay to have a bean bag chair to sit on. However, that is a huge mistake. The more casual you try to make the home-office the less motivated you will be when it comes to work. While giving the room a casual décor is fine, you have to ensure that your workstation is proper and that you have a decent and comfortable chair. Even though you will be working from home, you will spend an awful lot of time in that one chair; so make sure it’s a really comfortable one.
3. Make sure the layout is ergonomic
An ergonomically correct desk in the home office Michael Dolan of Fort Hamilton Brooklyn, New York, USA. In his own words, “I managed to get a very organized, ergonomically correct desk setup for my Macbook, with the external monitor, keyboard and mouse. Through lots of wrangling, all my external hard drives, card readers, scanner, printer and accesories are all put together so it takes just one USB plug to get them on. I have a workbench, with all my tools and a soldering station off to the side. Overall, it is a comfortable and cozy place to get things done.” – Photo Courtesy: Michael Dolan
While working from home, you have to be just as organized as you would be in a corporate office. Make sure the layout of your workstation is ergonomic, with everything easily accessible, but not getting in each other’s way. These days, it is very easy to clutter up a workspace thanks to the various gadgets we need and desire. Finding a good place for your computer, iPad, smartphone, printer, and numerous other gadgets can be hectic, especially when their power cords start getting entangled. At a home-office, it is tempting to just let things be as they are; after all, your boss won’t be snooping around this workstation. However, it will be very detrimental to your productivity.
4. Do not sacrifice storage space
Home Office of Architect Jeremy Levine of Jeremy Levine Design in Eagle Rock, California, USA – “Home Office with custom built furniture made by recycling the leftover building materials from the addition. Adjustable plywood shelves and desks are hung from the ceiling on threaded rods, leaving the floor space clear. The ceiling is vaulted and the West wall carved with openings to bathe the room in natural light.” – Photo Courtesy: Jeremy Levine
When setting up the home-office of your dreams, it can be very easy to get carried away. Usually, when people get carried away, they end up sacrificing storage space in order to accommodate other things, such as a bigger desk. In most houses, storage spaces are already at a premium and not having enough storage space can be a huge problem. Remember that you will be buying a lot of office supplies, like printer ink and toner cartridges, and not having anywhere to store them can be quite upsetting.
Keep these 4 important tips in mind and you will be a proud owner of a fully-functioning and efficient home-office.
James Hanning is a serial blogger who writes business and technology related articles. He feels ink cartridge is what makes a printer good or an excellent one.
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