With more and more teams switching over to remote or hybrid working as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, survey results are coming back in with more than half of respondents saying that they feel more productive when working at home compared to at the office. And it’s easy to see why – working from home eliminates commute stress and there’s often less noise and fewer distractions. Plus, when you work from home, you have all your home comforts around you and most of the time there’s no need to dress up. If you want to be comfortable and productive while working at home, your home office set-up can help you achieve everything that you need. We’ve put together some ideas and tips that you might find helpful when creating the perfect home office for you.
Choosing the Right Equipment
The first step to setting up your perfect home office is to get the right equipment. Even though you are working from home, you’re going to be spending all of your working hours sat at your desk using your computer, so the equipment and furniture that you choose can make all the difference to your experience. Some top tips for choosing the furnishings you need for your home office include:
-
Invest in a Good Chair:
Your chair is right at the heart of your home office, and since you are going to be spending almost half of your day sitting in it, it’s always a wise idea to invest in a more comfortable, ergonomic office chair. Having a good quality, supportive chair will make a noticeable difference while you are working from home, as it will allow you to sit with proper posture and offer support in all the right places, helping you reduce any discomfort and pain. Pay close attention to the support offered for your arms, back and thighs in particular. You can find more information on choosing an ergonomic chair at Branch Furniture. Branch’s ergonomic chair options are designed to support you throughout the working day, allowing you get on with your job in comfort.
-
Get a Second Monitor:
Whether you use a desktop PC or a laptop, getting a second monitor is one of the best ways to improve your productivity. No matter what tasks you are doing throughout the working day, having an additional screen can make them so much easier. If you’re tired of switching in between tabs and juggling different windows, this will make a huge difference to your work life.
-
Consider a Standing Desk:
With health research showing that sitting for an extended period of time has a negative impact on your health, it’s no surprise that more workers are investing in a standing desk. These desks allow you to work standing up and many of them are height adjustable, allowing you to create a desk that is comfortable for you to stand at. A sit-stand desk can be quickly transformed into a conventional seated desk, giving you the best of both options.
Setting Up Your Home Office
Your home office space is much more than the equipment and furniture that you place in it. The décor, lighting, and general aesthetic of the room will have an impact on how you feel when you are working in the office and even impact your productivity and ability to focus. When designing your home office, keep the following in mind:
-
Your Individual Needs:
When you are choosing a place in your home or redesigning a room to be your home office, think about your needs and how you are going to be using it. Will you be meeting with clients in the office? Taking and making conference calls? Do you need a quiet area of the home where kids and pets are kept away? How much storage do you need?
-
Natural Light and Ventilation:
If you have some options to choose from when deciding where you should set up your home office, then consider the room that has the best ventilation and the most natural light. Working in a stuffy room can make it impossible to concentrate, so it’s a good idea to make sure that you have plenty of access to fresh air. Natural light is also a top priority. Studies have found that adults who get a lot of natural light tend to sleep better at night, and people working in offices that get natural light are around 30-40% more productive. If you can place your desk underneath or next to a window, you should.
-
Make Space for Brainstorming:
If you’re working in a creative position or a role where you need to come up with ideas, you might find that you have your best ideas when you are away from your desk. So, it’s a good idea to make sure that you have some space in your office where you can step away from your desk and get your creative juices flowing. A pinboard to keep ideas that you can stand in front of is a good idea, or you might prefer to have a comfy sofa or armchair.
-
Decorate to Your Preferences:
When it comes to decorating your home office, the best part is that you can finally create a work environment that is in line with your personal preferences and tasks. Good décor that you like won’t just make the space feel nicer to work in, but it could even help you be more productive. It’s a good idea to pick colors that have been proven by color psychology to help you be more productive, like orange, red, or yellow shades. Blue or green is a good choice if you need to stay calm and relaxed while working. Dull and dark colors are best avoided, since they can leave you feeling less energetic.
With more people than ever before working from home, designing the perfect home office for you has never been more important. Keep these tips in mind to create a room with equipment and furniture that helps you be as productive as possible at work.
Author:
Allan Smith is a professional finance writer specializing in personal finance. He has worked in the finance sector for a long time. He believes that everyone’s economic and life situation is isolated, and he keeps this fact in mind while providing personal finance advice in his blog Day to Day Finance. All the people seeking financial guidance are in different stages of life. Allan loves to explore every possible angle of personal finance so that anybody can get help.
