Wake up and Work: 7 Tips for Setting up a Home Office for Remote Work
Wake up and Work: 7
Tips for Setting up a Home Office for Remote Work
You’re thinking of setting up a home office for remote work
and you don’t know where to start. Whether you’re working remotely due to the
pandemic or decided to pick up a side hustle to make some extra money, working
from home provides many benefits.
You’ll save money on gas. Avoid the rush hour commute. Eat
lunch in the luxury of your home. And spend more time with your family.
But setting up a home office takes more than working on your
laptop on the couch or kitchen table. Here are seven important tips to consider
when setting up your home office.
1. Choosing Furniture
When purchasing home office furniture, you want to keep
a few things in mind. First, you need the right-sized space to do your work.
Will you be working on a laptop? You could get away with a small desk.
But if you need room to spread paperwork around, you may
need something larger. Do you have room for an executive desk? Or does your
desk space only afford you forty-eight inches?
The size of the room you have to work with will dictate
the furniture you need to purchase such as a desk, bookcases, filing
cabinets, and additional tables. Make sure to use a comfortable chair at
the appropriate height to work comfortably. Or find one that’s adjustable.
2. Create a Healthy
Work Environment
When setting up a home office for remote work, your
environment should be a healthy one. Consider placing plants around the room to
get additional oxygen.
Don’t work in a room where people smoke if there are smokers
in your home. Another idea is to have sufficient task lighting. Enough to see
your workspace, but not too bright causing eye strain and squinting.
If you work at the computer for many hours, consider
adjusting the blue light on your display. Blue light is harmful to
the eyes when you’re exposed to it for long periods of time. You can pick
up a pair of blue light glasses if your computer doesn’t have the ability to
use the night vision mode.
3. Set Yourself Up to
Be Productive
It’s easy to get sidetracked when you’re at home. The phone
rings. You receive emails. Your Twitter feed and social media apps never end.
Consider turning off the alerts or using a program that limits the use of
social media.
Some apps actually block social media. But don’t worry if
you have a social program for work such as Slack. You can set up the
preferences in the apps to tell them which sites you want to block and leave
others alone.
Another way to be productive is to create a schedule.
Especially if your boss isn’t tracking the time you spend doing your work on a
company portal.
Plan work times with appropriate breaks, time for
lunch, and stick to your schedule. You’ll be surprised at how much work
you get done. Plus, you won’t need to attend all those impromptu meetings held
at the office lasting half the day.
4. Separate Your
Workspace from Shared Areas
Don’t have a private room to do your work? Well, don’t set
up your space in the middle of the kitchen or the living room.
Your family may want to watch TV, do their homework on the
sofa or the kitchen table. Choose a quiet, peaceful space where you can
concentrate. Additionally, an area designated for your work will make you feel
more like a professional.
5. Designing and
Decorating Your Space
When you’re setting up a home office for remote work, you
may want to make your space appear like it’s an office. Find a style that suits
your taste. Maybe even paint the room.
If your room has bright red walls, you may want to tone it
down. You may want to choose a color more conducive to working in an office
environment. To coordinate the space, pick up some accessories.
Want to do a gold theme? Pick up a pencil case and a container
for paper clips. You can even buy gold paper clips. These kinds of touches make
a great way to personalize your space and make it
more productive.
6. Minimize Family
Distractions
If you live with your family, let them know in advance that
you don’t want to be disturbed. If you have an extra room to use as an office,
consider putting a “do not disturb” sign on the door and keep the door closed
to minimize interruptions.
While that won’t guarantee you’ll never get an occasional
(hopefully occasional) knock on the door, it will help to make
interruptions less frequent than keeping the door open and family members
walking into your office to ask a question every hour.
If you live with roommates, ask them to keep the noise down
while you’re working if they raise the volume beyond a level you can bear.
7. Keep Your Work
Area Positive
It’s important to maintain a positive state of mind when
you’re working remotely as well as any time of the day. Unexpected problems
occur at work and at home. Clients go with other companies. Your boss
loses their temper.
Your child gets sick. The principal calls you because your
kiddo has acted up inappropriately. Many situations can put you in a bad
mood.
Try to roll with the punches. Don’t let mishaps and
obstacles get you down. They’re often unavoidable. You can deal with them after
work if they’re not emergencies. A good way to feel positive is to listen to
soft music or meditation tapes while you’re working.
Of course, if this distracts you, think of some other
options. One possibility is to place posters with positive sayings you like on
the wall. Or positive quotes in frames on your desk. Have a few post-it notes
with positive affirmations in front of you.
Is there a painting that lifts your spirits such as
lovely Monet oil painting? An Andrew Wyeth watercolor? Hang it on the wall
for some creative, positive inspiration. Color and nature affect our state of
mine.
7 Helpful Tips Revisited: Setting Up A Home Office for
Remote Work
Follow these proven tips for setting up a home office for
remote work. These home office ideas will help you create a positive,
productive work environment, achieve your goals, and earn an income.
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