Loading ...Creating a Great Home Office
Working from home is becoming more and more conventional. As well as the traditional home working roles generally associated with self-employed freelancers or small independent businesses, computer and internet based roles are ever on the increase, allowing many workers in many different sectors the opportunity to forgo the full time office life.
As most people who work from home will tell you; having a designated workspace within your home is essential.
What Not to do
- Don’t use your bedroom as a home office
Bedrooms should be a place of rest. Using this room as your ‘office’ will only serve to distract you when you should be working, and the room will become less likely to provide the space for rest and relaxation one needs at the end of a hard day’s work
- Don’t use your living room as a home office
For some this may be difficult as space constrictions often make this the only available room. If this is the case, ensure you choose an area within your living room which can be screened off so that distractions are eradicated.
What You Should Do
- Get a Room!
For those who are really serious about working from home, a separate study or office is the best solution.
- Get the Right Furniture
Your home office design should obviously include a desk which is big enough to accommodate everything you will use from day to day, a comfortable chair and somewhere to store any files or equipment you need easy / regular access to.
When working from home - especially if running your own business - it’s essential that you keep things organized. The right storage solutions will mean you’re less likely to lose anything you need for the taxman, or miss deadlines because you’re unable to find important documents.
Home office must haves include sturdy bookshelves or wall shelving, a pin-board cork-board (for keeping notes, tickets and other items safe) a tin or box file for receipts/ invoices etc. and of course a wastepaper bin.
Comfortable armchairs can be a great addition to a home office. Not only will it give clients a place to sit if they need to visit you, it will also give you space to relax while keeping you within your working environment so you’re not tempted to turn on your TV.
Some good home office ideas (such as a wall calendar, tea / coffee maker etc.) coupled with the right furniture will make working from home much more productive and enjoyable, helping to put an end to procrastination and inefficacy. Be creative with your home office furniture ideas and you’ll find you have a space that you actually want to work in.
Done properly, a good home office design will help you to attain an important work/life balance. You need to be able to shut the door on work when it’s time to rest or spend time with your family and in general, use your house for its primary function; your home.
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