If you work from home like myself you’ll know that it’s so easy to get into a rut. You are tempted to sit on the sofa with your laptop on your lap and some Netflix on in the background. You’ll probably be wearing your pyjamas all day and it can easily spiral from what should be a typical day in the office to a day lounging on your couch. If you’re working from home you should have some structure to keep your days running as smoothly as possible. Prioritising a home office a great way to give your days that structure and give yourself the necessary productivity. You don’t need an entire spare room to have a home office. All it takes is a little bit of space, and some essentials. Today I’ll show you 5 ways to take your home office from beginner to pro!
1. Designate a Space
This may sound super obvious but when you don’t have a designated room for a home office you’ll find yourself working from wherever is available. In order to remain efficient you’ll need to designate a space solely to work. If you have a spare room you can use that as your home office.
Is your lounge big? Then pop a desk in a corner and keep that area separate from your usual living space. It sounds so simple but once you have identified an area that will be your home office you don’t have to worry about not having a designated study in your home.
After all, our spaces are getting smaller so making the best use of space is a must.
Top Tip: Make use of any space you can find be it a cupboard under the stairs or a closet you don’t use. Any area can be a designated work space if you know how to use the space wisely.
2. Have a Comfortable Chair
The second most important thing to me when it comes to working from home is to have a proper chair. I remember in one flat where we had a dining space we didn’t really use. I turned the area into my office area and it was perfectly nestled between my kitchen and living room. The only downfall was that I didn’t have a proper chair for quite some time.
It ended up doing a number on my back and neck! I then realised that it was pointless to have the perfect space if I wasn’t able to use it in an ergonomic way.
I’ve found that meeting room chairs are the perfect solution for a home office. The majority of meeting room and office chairs are ergonomically designed, thus providing support for your body and back. They also are on castor wheels, which gives them ease of movement. In turn making it easier for you to move about effortlessly.
The best computer chairs have a high back, are comfortable to be sitting in for extended periods of time, and have wheels. The high back will support your body properly and the wheels will make it easy to move about it. Even if your space is small enough to only swivel around in.
3. Pick a Desk with Drawers
For me, you’re better off first finding the perfect space in your home for an office and then filling the space with the right desk. While a simple table design may seem more efficient if space is at a premium you may want to consider a desk with drawers. If you are going to keep your desk in an area like your living room drawers will be the perfect way to keep things organised and tidy. By having a place for everything and keeping everything it its place you’ll allow all your bits to remain out of sight when you are not in work mode.
Another great thing that I love about desks with drawers is that you can even pick up a desk that has a filing cabinet.
4. Keep Things Cohesive
One of the joys of a home office is that you get to ditch the standard cubicle style and dress up your space in a way that makes you productive and happy. I worked in a cubicle once upon a time and even though it was quite private and had enough space, it was a dingy bluish-gray tone. I couldn’t stand it so I brought in my own decorations and opted for a pink shade to liven it up. Sure, all the documents and files still looked very corporate but when you work for a corporation I suppose that’s just how things are.
Now that I run my own home based business I can ditch the corporate look and embrace my brand. If you run a home based business consider using your logo and brand throughout. From printed document folders to mugs with your logo on them you’ll feel more of a professional business vibe by doing so.
I currently run this blog but am working on launching another one. Each blog has its own colour scheme and by using each blogs respective colours in the organisation process it has made me more efficient and has allowed me to keep like with like.
5. Use Light to Your Advantage
Light is something that is precious, especially in the UK. If you can help it try style your room around natural light sources. A desk by a window can help you get more Vitamin D. And light also helps increase your productivity!
If that’s not possible then consider layering your light to achieve the right dose of light. Lamps, fairy lights, and the proper overhead lighting can make all the difference in the world if your little home office is less than ideal in that territory.
As you can see these tips are quite simple and they can help you take your home office from beginner to absolute pro!
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