Working from home certainly has its benefits like reduced travel times and money saved on gas. You may also be able to set your own schedule, especially if you’re running a business from home. With the recent quarantine, you may find yourself in an unusual situation where you’re having to work from home instead of your usual office. While working from home can seem like a dream come true in many circumstances, it’s not without its challenges.
Naturally, distractions are among the biggest of these challenges. Family, pets, the front door, and neighbors can all be interruptions, not to mention the greater temptation to start playing with smart devices or goofing off on the internet. Working remotely also means you’ll have significantly less interaction with bosses or coworkers, which may create communication issues. Naturally, it’ll also be on you to decide how to prioritize your workload. It can all be hard to get used to, but here are some things you can do to make the best home office possible.
Choose a Dedicated Office Space
While you technically have the freedom to work in your pajamas on the couch while playing on your mobile device, it’s not going to be a particularly efficient way to go about things. You need to choose a quiet area with privacy if at all possible, and this is even more important if you’re sharing the home with family or roommates.
If you meet with people in your home office, you’ll want a room near the entrance, but otherwise, it’s probably best to choose a room that’s out of the way. You’ll naturally want a desk, comfortable chair, computer, reliable wi-fi, and any other equipment you’ll need to mimic your conditions at work. Having this dedicated office makes it easier to separate your “work” and “home” mentalities, even when you’re always at home. You may even want to dress for work to complete the illusion.
Embrace Home Tech Support
When you’re at your work office, you can probably rest easy knowing that your building can call services like this London IT support company when necessary, but this may not be possible at home. If there are specific computer programs you use at work, you may be able to call IT support for help with them, but you could be on your own for other issues.
As smart homes rise in popularity, home automation devices are becoming more common. Even those without smart home systems usually have digital assistants like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Voice commands can be incredibly convenient to control your entire home automation system, including smart thermostats, smart speakers, security cameras, garage doors, and more all from your home office. The more help you have, the less time you’ll have to spend roaming the house away from your work.
Get Creative With Scenery
Having a home office gives you total control over decoration and the overall vibe of your office. While this may seem minor, your environment can greatly impact your productivity. If possible, it’s a good idea to take advantage of natural light in your home office. Place your desk near windows instead of putting it in a dark corner. This will likely improve your mood, and looking out the window will be a good break for your eyes when they need it.
Of course, you may be working during darker times of day, so you’ll need some good artificial lighting as well. Task lights or desk lamps will probably be best for your work environment since your overhead house lights may provide too much light and become distracting. Feel free to decorate with greenery, wall art, figurines, or anything else that boosts your mood as well. This is your space, and you can make it as you see fit.
