Need To Work From Home? Here’s How to Set Up…

More and more people around the world are now working from home— and it’s not just because they’re all under quarantine due to the coronavirus outbreak. With today’s advanced communication technology and the increasingly flexible company policies, most people can work virtually anywhere. While it has plenty of benefits in terms of convenience and flexibility, working from home can be a real pain if you don’t have a proper setup. Between wasting valuable time, missing deadlines, and suffering severe headaches and back pain, having a poor home office setup can significantly impact your productivity. 

So what kind of space do you need to work optimally?

Recreate your office setup

If you’re going to be working from home for more than just a couple of days, you’ll need to recreate your office setup. It might be tempting to just grab your laptop and work from your couch or bed for a day or two but after a while, you’ll find yourself developing terrible posture or even sneaking a nap every so often. However, if you have an office-like setup, you’ll find it easier to stay focused. So do yourself a favor and invest in a proper chair with enough padding and ample support to keep you comfortable during your long working hours.

You might also want to move a few essentials like that other monitor from your office to your home. You can learn more from these experts how to efficiently pack, move, and unpack all your valuable office essentials. Having the necessary workplace gadgets and devices at hand allows you to streamline your work process. For instance, with a second monitor, you can open your email or run your company’s chat app in one monitor, and work in another.

Make your own standing desk

When setting up your dedicated home workspace, you need to make sure that it can support your health. Studies show that a standing desk helps you burn more calories, and it also reduces the time you spend sitting. You should also consider getting shoe insoles that will help you stay comfortable throughout your workday, especially if you’ll be standing up. You can take a look at Protalus.com and order your pair if you’re looking for options. But even if you’re not standing, you’ll want to elevate your computer so that the middle of your screen is in line with your eyes. Ideally, it should be between 6 and 12 inches above your desk. This way, you don’t have to slouch over or tilt your head in awkward positions while working which, in turn, will significantly reduce the strain on your neck, back, and eyes.

Go wireless

Creature comforts are essential when you’re telecommuting, and by that don’t mean stashing a bottle of wine in your desk drawer— although it might seem quite tempting to do so when you’re working from home. To streamline your work process, you’ll want your devices and gadgets, including your mouse and keyboard to be wireless. This is especially important if your computer is elevated to the proper height because, then, it’ll be hard to use them without leaning over.

Add a pop of green

Between all the long hours we spend staring at a computer screen, we tend to lose our connection with nature while working. This is even more so the case now that we’re all cooped up indoors all the time due to the coronavirus outbreak. To remedy that, consider adding a pop of green to your home workspace by placing a few houseplants, botanic prints, or natural photography around. Not only will this renew your connection with nature, but it will also improve your productivity, and enhance your creativity.

Keep your desk organized

Whether it’s at home or the office, an organized workspace is a productive workspace. Nothing kills your productivity like suddenly feeling the urge to break into a sporadic cleaning session or having to waste valuable time hunting down that critical document you misplaced. In that sense, keeping your desk as neat as possible with purposeful storage will minimize distractions and keep you focused. Use a designated cabinet or drawer that you can fit under your desk to store your office materials. This way, you can give yourself more space to work and prevent the chaos of disorganized piles.

So there you have it. With these tips in mind, you can create the perfect setup that will encourage you to be productive and allow you to maintain a smooth workflow. Even if you’re not going for a complete home office setup, the above suggestions will help you design a comfortable and convenient space where you can work efficiently. Because your setup can have a significant impact on your workflow and productivity, you have to ensure that your home workspace offers you both the form and function you need to work optimally. So, depending on your particular needs, feel free to add to the above list as you see fit.