Working from home is distracting. The temptation to scroll social media or make use of streaming services is there all the time. There are other distractions too. You need a way to deal with the living distractions. You can’t set limits on your family like you can on social media. Partners, housemates, children and pets can and do wander in right when you are in the middle of something or in a very important virtual meeting. The perfect home office needs to be cut off from the rest of the family, including pets.
The home office needs a sturdy door. This separates workspace from living space. It lets others know you are working and stops the cat from deleting your project. At Doors Delivered you will find a range of internal doors to transform your entire home. All internal doors should match. Don’t buy one for the home office upgrade the entire house. Mismatched doors can create feelings of chaos. Breaking up warring siblings isn’t good for productivity.
The desk
All home offices require a few basic items. The desk is going to take centre stage. A standing or sitting desk is a choice the user will have to make. An alternative is a height adjustable desk. This allows the user to alternate between standing and sitting. If you spend long hours in the office, an adjustable desk is your best option. It can save your back and your feet.
Opting for a fully standing desk doesn’t mean you won’t need a chair. You don’t want to be standing during virtual meetings. This gives the impression that you are distracted.
Apart from needing to support your body, if the chair is being used at a sitting desk, it needs to be the right height for the desk. Long workstations will need an office chair with wheels to easily move from one end to the other. Office chairs can be bulky. If you only have a small space, like a converted storage cupboard, this needs to be considered.
Stuffing furniture that is too large into a small space will upset the flow of energy and decrease productivity. Find modern office furniture to suit not just your needs but also the space you are working in.
Minimise clutter
Stacking papers on the floor is not a solution. The home working environment should be free of clutter. Not much work is being done when you are searching for a document or pen.
Large home offices need a filing system to stay organised. Smaller home offices can utilise the walls with a cork or fabric pinboard and floating shelves. Larger offices can opt for a shelving system or filing cabinets.
Keeping desk space tidy is just as vital to productivity as knowing where all printed documents are. A small cup or penholder will keep pens and styluses handy. You will know where they are when you have to jot down something quickly during a virtual meeting or add a line to a graphic design project. Sticky notes or a small notebook needs to be within reach of pens.
Spare pens or ink should be kept in a desk drawer. If you use a printer, ink cartridges should be kept in the drawer with pens. Keep spare paper in a separate drawer to ink. Even new pens will break and ruin all your paper.
Personalise
Every home office needs a personal touch. Think back to going to an office. Most of those desks had plants or pictures on them, unless they were used for hot-desking.
Something personal to look at, either a picture hanging on the wall, art or even a small toy helps resist the temptations of social media when your eyes and mind need a brief break. If you have a larger space to work from, consider a mini-fridge or coffee station. That means you won’t need to go to the kitchen for a drink and thus signal to yourself and your household that you are physically at work.
Finding space
Lockdown has proven working from home is achievable. The start of the first lockdown saw working from kitchens, bedrooms and living rooms become normal. These aren’t ideal environments to work from. They’re filled with distractions and hunched over the kitchen table is not good for your back.
Now is the time to set aside a space in your home specifically for a home office. Even a large storage cupboard will work, or a garden shed. It will help restore a work/life balance, increase productivity and get you where you want to go with your business.