Setting Up a Gorgeous Home Office That Also Increases Comfort and Productivity
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Many factors create the perfect work-at-home space, but the best home office starts with essential elements that suit your home and specific work needs.
Whether you are self-employed, run a small business out of your home, or have adopted a telecommuting or remote work format for your regular job, it is vital to have a dedicated space. Many people do not have the luxury of a separate home office.
Still, it is possible to re-create shared space into a productive setting or design a multi-purpose room to maximize its usability.
Where to Create Your Home Office
Different people can handle different levels of distraction without significantly affecting their work productivity.
One of the most important questions you can ask yourself when creating a home office is what environment you need for maximum productivity.
This is especially important for working parents with kids at home during office hours. While anyone can open their laptop at the kitchen table and get a few tasks done, this setup will not work if you have a full-time remote job or need to work long hours to build your business.
Dedicated office space offers the ideal solution. If you do not have an empty room, consider adding a desk chair and equipment to the guestroom, a finished room in the basement, or even a large walk-in closet or pantry.
Is it possible to share a room with the rest of your family and still get plenty of work done? For some people, no other options exist. There are ways to set up an office space to help you stay focused and productive even if other people are active nearby.
Every Home Office Needs These Essential Elements
If you are lucky enough to have a dedicated room for your career or business activities, it probably already has sufficient electrical outlets. If you are sharing space, claim a wall or corner with easy access.
Also, remote work or other career activities require wired Internet or a strong Wi-Fi signal.
After all, connectivity and constant communication are essential parts of today’s business world. Sometimes, it may also help to have a dedicated landline phone. These are frequently used by people who perform many customer service tasks from home.
Computer equipment and all related devices need electricity and Internet access to function continuously. If you rely on this tech to earn your income, you should ensure you have sufficient power and capabilities to get the job done correctly.
Buy a larger monitor, a powerful surge protector, a multipurpose printer/scanner, and all specialty gadgets like a videoconference camera, headset with microphone, or paper shredder as needed by the work you do.
1. Functional And Ergonomic Home Office Furniture
Nothing will make working at home worse than sitting in an uncomfortable chair all day or slumping over a desk that is not at the right height for you.
Add in a lack of storage, surface space to fit your computer accessories and a cup of coffee, and lack of room to move around as needed, and you have a recipe for miserable workdays.
The first piece of furniture you need for a functional home office is a desk. Choose one large enough to sit comfortably and to fit your computer and all other necessary job-related items.
Desks with hutches provide more storage space but may also block natural light if they face the only window in the room.
Invest in an ergonomic desk chair that suits your body size well.
Adjustable options with removable armrests offer maximum customization options. Get one with lumbar support and wheels on the base so you can move quickly throughout the room.
Do not forget storage specifically tailored to your business needs. Some people need an old-fashioned filing cabinet for hard copy documents. However, with the increasing focus on digitalization and cloud storage, a bookcase or rack of bins for office supplies may work better.
The Perfect Lighting
Lighting is the most underrated and often ignored aspect of organizing and decorating projects I see.
There’s no question that in your home office or anywhere, natural light is the healthiest form of lighting you can get.
I learned that the hard way when I moved from CA to IL in 2016. Since it helps you generate vitamin D, an essential nutrient for many-body systems, you need sunlight to thrive. But we work with what we have, and if your home office lacks a window, let’s work with the best lighting you can get.
Small Office Lighting Ideas
Computer screens glow but do not provide the type of light you need for maximum comfort and productivity in your home office. Relying on the screen alone is a recipe for eyestrain, headaches, and fatigue.
Optimize your performance by choosing the best office lighting for computer work, other essential tasks, and hobbies like craft or home organizing projects.
The Cricut Bright 360 lights you see in these photos are beyond amazing. The lighting is comfortable, and it’s completely customizable. In love with them!
Overhead lights are an excellent option for gray days and evening work. Also, they help create a more continuous level of illumination that counteracts glare and helps keep you alert.
Indirect or ambient light works better for most reading or writing tasks.
Desk lamps are also used for task lighting so you can clearly see small print, details in a photo, or parts of a physical object. You need these to be as bright and natural-looking as possible so you can see everything related to the task.
Finally, do not let your home office become a boring corporate cubicle. Add a few green or flowering plants to improve indoor air quality and give you a fresh outlook every day.
Put a comfortable cushion for your dog or cat in the corner so you can take stress-relieving cuddle breaks. Add a few knickknacks or wall art that inspires and rejuvenates you.
Altogether, these elements help you create the perfect home office, whether you have a separate room or a corner to call your own.
Comfortable, ergonomic furniture, sufficient computer and communication equipment, access to electricity and reliable Internet, fantastic lighting to boost productivity, and a few personal touches that inspire make working at home so much easier and more enjoyable.
