It is now a foregone conclusion that the world, especially the working industry, will not go back to what it used to be once this pandemic is over. The lockdowns that hit many major economies finally proved that people could work from home and still put in the same amount of work and productivity that could be attained by working from the office.
This has now opened up new opportunities, and the biggest among them is the setting up of home offices by many people looking to resume their jobs in the near future. If this is something you are contemplating, then the following tips should help get it done the right way.
Privacy
One of the biggest drawbacks of working from home is the lack of good privacy since you are sharing the same space with other members of the family, children included, and this can be a source of a lot of distractions that can derail your productivity. Ensure you have the privacy to do your work in the same way you would if you were operating from the office. You can achieve this by repurposing one room into an office and locking the door behind you, only venturing out during breaks and when you are done for the day. This way, other family members will also understand the boundaries and keep off until you are free to mingle with them again.
Space
You must have enough space in your home office. It should not be cluttered with too many things and if you chose to repurpose one room into an office, make sure that everything that used to be housed in there is removed. There has to be sufficient ventilation since it is not healthy to be cramped up inside a small room with stuffy conditions. You must have legroom, too, for stretching yourself in between work sessions. You can walk around a little and do some quick press-ups, and all these require sufficient space. You can help create more space by limiting the number of furniture around. A desk and a chair are more than enough.
Lighting
Another important thing that you need to prioritize is the lighting in the room; it should be bright enough for you to see without straining your eyes. If there’s a natural source of light that streams in through huge windows, the better for you, but if that’s not an option, you should consider adding more lights around the room that will better illuminate the desk area. The normal incandescent light bulbs used in the house may not be ideal ones; consider going for the huge fluorescent bulbs that produce white light. You can ask about where to buy LED light strips in bulk and have them installed as accent lights around the home office to provide extra illumination.
Comfortable Chair
You want to have the proper posture considering the fact that you will be stopped over the desk for hours; therefore, the furniture you choose to go with must be comfortable and kind to your back. There are many kinds of office chairs that don’t cost much that you can check out online and in offline shops in your local area. Make sure that you try out the chair before buying to determine whether it is a good fit and provides good lumbar support. The same goes for the desk. It has to be raised to the correct height that allows you to work with a posture that doesn’t add pressure to your neck area.
Make it Homely
Many office spaces are too formal, and this can be a little depressing for many people, but with a chance to work from home, you get the opportunity to design your home office to your tastes. Try going with bold colors for the walls and make them as diverse as possible, as long as they are matching; this will create a classy atmosphere that will boost your morale. You should also consider giving yourself some views as you work, probably near a window overlooking your beautiful garden. Add some colorful wall art to add an aesthetic touch to the entire space, transforming it into a conducive and classy working space.
Accessorize
Another way you can add some life into the home office is through accessorizing the space with plants, soft rugs, some farmed pictures, and a bunch of other options. Accessorizing the space gives it a homely feel and takes away the depressing atmosphere that most plain offices usually have. You can even add a chalkboard for brainstorming purposes or even a bookshelf for that quick read in between breaks. SImpy make use of the space in an artistic way without impeding your movement. This will improve your mood as you have to spend a lot of time inside that office.
Conclusion
Working from home is going to be the norm soon, and people are already preparing for that. It is a very beneficial arrangement that reduces traffic on the road and gives the workers some freedom in managing their time. If you are anticipating using this arrangement, then it is time you started to create a home office before the time to go back to work to be ready in advance.