As greater connectivity and cloud computing technology continue to develop and evolve, more and more people are turning to work from home. It isn’t hard to see the appeal. Gone is the time consuming and costly commute to the office. Chances are you’ll be in a more comfortable environment which can increase your productivity, and if you’ve got young children, you can combine working from home with looking after them at the same time.
If working from home is a route that you want to go down, then you need to make sure you have a suitable space in the house from which to work. For many, that will be a well-furnished home office that is free from distractions and allows you to produce work every bit as good as that which you would in an actual office.
Here are four tips for setting up your home office.
Ensure there is a clear divide between work and home
One of the biggest challenges when working from home is the divide between the office and your house. You can’t sit in bed all day, for example with your laptop fired up and expect to be motivated and deliver your best work. By creating a separate office environment, you’ll retain the professional and productive feel of being in the workplace. Whether you transform the spare room or the basement into your workplace or join the increasing number of Americans who are turning their garden sheds into an office, a clearly defined office ensures productivity remains high and distractions are kept to a minimum.
Maximize what you’ve got
No matter how big or small your home office, the key aspect is to maximize all the space you’ve got. You can do this by ensuring it is clean and organized. If you were in a traditional workplace, you wouldn’t leave documents lying all over the place or operate in a messy environment. Maximize your space by keeping everything organized in files or folders.
Invest in the right equipment
An IT problem in a large workplace can be easily overcome by moving to another computer or by calling in an expert to fix it as a matter of urgency. Your employers might even have in-house technicians on hand to fix any problems the moment it arises. That won’t be the case when you work from home, which means that you need to invest in the right equipment to limit the possibility of breakdowns or problems. Make sure you have a fast and reliable internet connection and that your computer is protected from cyber attacks or viruses. There are also environmental concerns to consider, such as making sure the office has enough light and can be kept at an optimum working temperature in a similar way to how commercial HVAC installation from Kleen Air Services keeps a workplace cool and comfortable.
Get the color scheme right
Colors can have a huge bearing on how productive we are, and that is why you need to get the color scheme of your office right. Bland colors such as gray, beige and white induce feelings of sadness and depression which isn’t good if you’re looking for inspiration in your work. Natural colors such as soft green and calming blue, on the other hand, improve efficiency and focus, making them perfect for setting the mood of your home office.
