5 Tips for Establishing a Dedicated Home Office Space
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Home can be your favorite working place. But for that, you have to master the art of staying productive, focused, and efficient – all while not killing your back. Even if laying on the comfy couch with a laptop on your knees is easy and fun, it has more cons than pros in the long-run. And it doesn’t matter if your job is programming or answering emails. It would help if you had a good home office with a simple desk, a supportive and comfortable chair, and a storage space for your office clutter.
And before anyone shakes their head saying that not everyone has a spare room they can transform into a home office space – you don’t need a whole extra room. While contacting experts from Hilton Head homes for sale and buying yourself a house with plenty of home office space is an option, there are other ways. Decluttering a corner of your living room or separating a bit of your bedroom space will be enough to create a work-friendly environment. To help you work efficiently and healthily, we prepared a guide with tips for establishing a perfect home office space.
Get an Ergonomic Chair
Many people make the mistake of going for the cheapest chair option available. The problem with this approach is that lower quality products need frequent replacement. Another thing is that bad chairs can contribute to various health problems and a decrease in productivity level. On average, we spend over 13 years of our life working, so it is important to choose a home office chair wisely.
Look for an ergonomic chair with lumbar support. Sitting on chairs lacking this option forces your back to bend unnaturally forward. It then causes excessive pressure on the spinal discs and may reduce blood flow to spinal tissue. A proper ergonomic chair with a waterfall seat design will improve your posture and help you work comfortably and, thus, more productively.
Remember About the Lighting
The character and quality of your workspace lighting matter no matter if you work from a home office or a cubicle farm. Poor lighting results in eyestrain, headaches, reduces energy, and highly affects the ability to work productively and effectively. The best solution would be placing your desk next to windows with a never-ending natural light supply. If that is not an option, pay close attention to what you choose for home workspace illumination.
Choose lampshades over upward-shining floor lamps. Instead of making the light bounce off walls and ceilings, they will make the light soft and illuminate your workspace without casting shadows and creating high contrast. After all, no one likes working under the direct glare straight out of the investigation room. And don’t forget to never put your light source behind you – it creates an annoying glare on your monitor and can be an enormous distraction.
Create a Storage Space
Instead of cluttering and taking up your valuable desk surface with paperwork – find a storage solution. With a neat and tidy workspace, we tend to work more efficiently. Try adding a few floating shelves. They will be a trendy decoration to your walls and help create more space on your desk.
Another great solution to store all your necessary paperwork is a storage ottoman or a trunk. It will keep the clutter behind closed doors and won’t let it intrude your living space. It is essential when your home-office space is located in the living area. If yet another storage item would clutter your space too much – put it in the often under-used space under your desk. Just make sure it leaves enough room for your legs and doesn’t require you to make unnatural positions when you sit.
Manage the Files
Unorganized paper and digital clutter can seriously get under your skin. All vital reports and spreadsheets should be organized and quickly accessible when you need them. To not get frustrated each time you have to find specific information, create an efficient filing system. It will help you feel secure and enjoy a clean space.
For the items you use most frequently, put boxes and letter files on your desk. You can also invest in a cabinet or a trolley that you can wheel from the side of your desk to any place you need. If box solutions are not your favorite, try out hanging files and separate folders. It will be most helpful for those who travel – it’s neat and straightforward. Just remember to keep all the files separated and marked with adequate categories.
Personalize
Above all else, the key tip to creating an efficient home office space is keeping it personal. Don’t go overboard with too many photos or favorite plants – the goal is still keeping your desk clean and functional. Your work focus should be on productivity and work, but adding 1 or 2 photos or some artwork pieces will help you regenerate during breaks.
You may buy a corkboard and hang it above your desk and decorate it with things that bring you joy. It will save even more of your desk space, which you can contribute to paperwork stashing. On the leftover space, you can put a small blackboard to write down your daily, weekly, and monthly goals, as well as reminders and inspirational quotes. It usually takes the smallest and simplest of things to light our spirits and keeps us motivated.
Why Home Office Matters
Working from home can be the biggest blessing. You can save money on transit, takeaway lunch boxes, and sleep more – no early-morning commute is necessary. However, finding a business-personal life balance is challenging when your comfy bed and sofa are right there.
A perfect and most efficient home office setup should be a separate space in your home that is appropriately equipped for work. It should be outfitted with a comfortable ergonomic chair and lighting, as well as neat and organized. The legend says that the brightest minds had the most cluttered desks, but we stand by scientists’ side, saying that there is a powerful psychology behind cleanliness. And remember that what works for one person may not work for another, so make your dedicated home office space serve your needs in the first place.
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