Practical Tips To Set Up A Functional Home Office

There’s no denying that a major part of the world is working from home these days. For some, a home office is a designated space for running a venture, while others simply have a nook for paying bills and organizing their schedule. And if you’re going to be spending hours working from that place, it’s only fair if it’s more comfortable and suited to your workday.

Have you been making do with a metal desk and an extra chair stuffed into a spare corner of the house? Do you feel it’s time to change that?

Here are a few ideas to create a functional home office that you’d love to spend time in.

Start at the beginning

The first step to setting up your home office is identifying what you’ll need in your office. Your requirements will depend on the type of work you do. Do you only need a small desk for your laptop? Or you would require an additional large-sized table for your artwork in case you are into designing.

Is your office supposed to be an in-home studio with storage space for lighting equipment? Or do you need more space for file cabinets and also a separate area to meet with your clients? It’s a good idea to create a detailed list of your specific needs before arbitrarily claiming a corner of the house as your office.

Choose an area

The first thing to consider when choosing an area in your house is that it should be quiet and relatively private. This becomes even more important if you live with a spouse, roommate, or children. A spare room with a door is a good choice to reduce the outside noise if you’re going to be taking work calls frequently.

If you need space to spread your design or tech equipment, you might need a space that’s bigger and separate from the rest of the house. Having clients over often? If yes, then it would be wise to choose a room that’s near the front door of the house.

Consider more light

Try to call dibs on a space that has plenty of natural light coming at least during your work hours. Working in a place with natural light can make you more productive and reduce eye strain as well. You can either go for cold daylight to improve your alertness or even warm firelight that promotes relaxation.

Additionally, consider keeping a plant or two in your workspace to add a touch of well-being. Having plants around has been shown to boost happiness and infuse a sense of liveliness in the area.

Get a clock

We can all agree that it’s easy to lose track of time when you’re working from home. Whether you’re attending telephonic meetings all day or writing code for a new app, you’re more likely to overwork in a home office than in your traditional workplace. And before you know it, you’ve worked 13 hours for the fourth day in a row.

To keep yourself from sabotaging your health and productivity, have some way in place to track your working hours. You can get a giant wall clock or a cute little desk alarm. Better still, just put an alarm on your phone, so you can break your workday and achieve a healthy work-life balance.

Find a gadget spot

Are you planning to keep your gadgets with you in your new home office? That might not be the best idea. Not having a supervisor or manager looking over your shoulder can make it easy for you to get distracted. If you’re prone to using your smartphone, you’re going to have a difficult time staying productive as the day goes by.

Why not create a dedicated spot for all your distracting gadgets? Maybe find a drawer in your home office and put your smartphone, tablet, and other electronics in that when not in use. You can use them when you’re on your coffee break.

Been working from a makeshift home office for months now and would like a little change in the scenery? Traveling isn’t an option, but you can certainly transform your current office and make it more efficient. So, pull up your sleeves this weekend and establish a better workplace in your home.

Do you find your house too small for creating a separate home office? Having you been thinking of buying a bigger house lately? At Sterling, we’ve got spacious luxury apartments and villas that could provide you all the comforts you’re currently missing. Visit us at www.sterlingdevelopers.com and let us help you find a home that doesn’t stand in the way of your hustle.