The ability to work from home can be a hugely rewarding aspect of one’s job. It gives you an added layer of flexibility and mobility, but can also bring about some distractions (who doesn’t want to cuddle with their dog all day?!). That’s why it’s important to have a home office set up for maximum comfort, organization, and productivity. Here are some things to think about when creating your own work from home sanctuary.
Purpose
One of the first things to consider when thinking about creating a home office is purpose. What types of work do you need to accomplish? Your layout and furniture should stem from the answer to that question. Meet with clients? Think about adding comfy chairs, or conference style table. Artist or designer? Maybe a large standing desk and shelving is what you need. On the computer all the time? Might want to get an ergonomic office chair and large monitor. Perhaps you don’t have an entire extra room in your house and your home office serves as combo office/guest room like ours!
Organization
A close second to making sure your office is equipped to handle all your working needs is organization. Cutting down on clutter and keeping only the items you need where you know you can always find them will help you work efficiently. When thinking about organization, keep your workflow in mind – this will help you come up with the best spot for each item you’ll use throughout the day. In terms of storage for those items, there are hundreds of solutions to explore (shelving, drawers, baskets filing systems, etc.). Finding the right combination might take some time, but will be worth it in the end. Another thing to consider doing is digitizing as many paper files as possible – it’s amazing how much room they can take up!
Comfort
After sorting out the the essential furnishings and setting up ways to stay organized, you’ll want to focus on creating a comfortable and enjoyable atmosphere. Ergonomics and noise are two things that immediately come to mind when thinking about what contributes to a productive work environment. Keep your body healthy by investing in things like supportive desk chairs, raised monitors, sit-to-stand desks, etc. Stay focused by keeping it quiet. Try adding soundproofing (acoustic) panels, or white noise machines if the spaces around your office tend to be noisy.
Another way to create a great work atmosphere is through your decor. There are endless ways to do this through color schemes, by adding interesting, or inspiring artwork, putting up personal photos, keeping plants, etc. We’ll talk about lighting next!
Lighting
Good lighting is a very important part of a home office. The best light is natural light, so try to set up in a spot that has a window or two. Just be sure to position your computer screen in such a way to minimize glare, or put up some blinds. Beyond natural light, you’ll want to layer a few light sources (overhead lights, lamps, under shelf lighting, etc.), so you can set the right tone for getting the most amount of work done.
