Running a business from home has always been a bit stressful, but over the last month or two we’ve faced even more challenges. For the sake of peace and calm in your home, now might be a good time for a little home office revamp.
Designate a work space
If you haven’t got a separate room to use as an office, choose a corner of a room and designate it the official office space. This will allow you to separate work from home life, which is important for a number of reasons.
1 – A separate place for your important work papers will keep peace in the home. The family will know that it’s a no-play area, meaning you are less likely to have sticky fingerprints on your documents, or cereal spilt over your keyboard.
It also means that your papers stay in their designated spot, and the only person to blame when they are left lying about the coffee table or get mixed in with the school textbooks is yourself.
2 – Your working hours may not follow the traditional 9am-5pm – particularly at the moment. But when you do ‘leave work’, you’ve left. That’s it – business day is done and your evening can begin.
Separating your work from your home life is essential to allow your mind to rest and keep your stress levels down.
3 – Productivity improves when you are sat in your home office. You’ll find it far easier to concentre when you are sat at a desk in your workspace than lounging on a sofa or squeezed onto the kitchen table with domestic life going on around you.
And, if you can reach an agreement with your family that office time is also ‘do not disturb’ time, you’ll get more done faster, so you can finish up and have plenty more time to relax and play.
What do you need for your home office space
It depends on the type of business you are in, but you will probably find you need very little in the way of furniture to get set up.
The right type of desk
If your home office is going to be a permanent space, put some thought into your desk. An antique roll top might look glamourous, but have they got enough room for your monitors and keyboard? Meanwhile, a standard basic desk from a national chain may be cheap and practical, but will it wear well or look scruffy quickly.
If you like to spread out, a large table might be better, but it does need to be the right height to allow you a comfortable seating position.
A comfy seat
Talking of seating positions, your chair is, possibly, one of the most important purchases if you will be spending a lot of time at your desk. Long hours sat down will be hard on your back, and poor posture can have long term consequences. Selecting a comfortable, ergonomic chair that fits nicely under your desk and is supportive on your back is essential.
A clutter-free zone
Although many of us keep digital files, very few offices are completely paper-free. If you do have lots of paperwork, samples, stationery or other business necessities to keep, having adequate storage will keep it out of sight and tidy.
If your business requires a lot of stock, you may not have the cupboard space for it. A small self-storage unit can be the extra cupboard that you need – neatly stacked with shelving so that your stock boxes are tidy and undamaged, and more importantly, not blocking up corridors and taking up space when, especially now, you all need a little more room at home to manoeuvre.
A pleasant working environment
One final thing that is important is that your home office is a nice place to work. No one feels motivated surrounded by mess, or in a drab, dark space. You might, out of necessity, be slotted into a corner of the living room, but you can still make it feel like a pleasant work environment.
Bring plants in to add greenery and to lift your mood– and they’ll also add oxygen to the air which helps you concentrate more. Add some pictures that cheer you up; how about one of your favourite holiday spots as an added incentive to work towards that holiday goal? Include a standing lamp or desk light so that you have a brightly lit space – reducing eye strain and headaches.
Of course, if you do have a separate room you can bring lots more to your décor in terms of colour, style and shelving, making your home office completely your own.