Are you a remote worker or just working from home because of the Coronavirus pandemic?
You don’t realize how big the jump from home to the office really is until you try bringing the office back home with you! Some of us were able to do it in the past, but only for a day or so and just out of necessity.
But having the office decide to suddenly set up shop in your spare room, prompting you to haphazardly put together a functional space for working from home on a long-term basis?
That was an experience that a lot of us have probably had over the past year. But why aim for ‘functional’ when you can do so much more?
Read on for some handy tips on how to create a home office space that’ll see you thriving over surviving!
Tools of the trade
Firstly, you need to set your space up with the right tools. Naturally, the ‘right tools’ may mean different things to different kinds of professionals.
Regardless of whatever industry you’re working in, chances are high that you’ll need a printer. Be sure to go with a tank printer like Epson EcoTank printers over a cartridge printer.
With this, you won’t have to spend a fortune on printer cartridges or even have to stock up on cartridges unnecessarily out of concern that your printer’s ink supplies may be discontinued.
Alongside also making sure to stock up on general office goods like post-its, paperclips, and other stationery, it’s also imperative that you invest in personal cybersecurity as well.
You want to ensure that any sensitive personal and professional information is kept secure throughout your remote work, by using a VPN if you’re a business owner, as well as by utilizing malware protection and other software tools.
Organisation is key
Speaking of stocking up, you’ll also want to make sure you invest in versatile office storage to ensure that each and every single one of your office supplies has its own place in your workspace.
The benefits of proper office organization don’t just stop at increased productivity but also planning and business management.
Keep in mind that you’ll be spending the bulk of your workdays in this one room. A well-designed and clutter-free office space are more likely to be an enjoyable place to spend eight or nine hours a day.
Tender loving compartmentalisation
One of the most common obstacles people face when working from home is simply not being able to remove themselves from work at the end of the day. T
here’s something about leaving the office and heading home that just inspires you to wind down with ease.
Of course, it’s only natural that it’s harder to feel like you’ve left work when you’re simply walking out of one room and into another.
How do we prompt ourselves to wind down in a matter of seconds? The answer lies in the practice of compartmentalization!
Allow yourself to create a routine for your workdays that clearly distinguishes between your work time and your downtime. This doesn’t have to be a strict routine, so long as it’s relatively consistent.
If you’re able to settle into your workflow at specific times every day, you’ll experience a gradual increase in productivity at those times. The ‘in-between’ times can be your breaks.
It’s recommended that you spend this break time outside of your workspace so that your home office continues to feel like a space for productivity and professionalism.
Being consistent with your peak productivity
If you find that you’re fairly consistent with your peak productivity times but you struggle with keeping track of your breaks and are prone to taking more breaks than you’re happy with, then think about the way that you’re spending your break time and whether or not you can maximize the quality of those breaks in order to minimize their quantity.
Finally, it’s important to keep in mind that despite the fact that your work hours and professional responsibilities haven’t entirely changed, this is by no means ‘business as usual’.
Going from the office to your home is still a large transition, and you need to be kind to yourself. Just enjoy this new experience for what it is and reconnect with the joys of your professional endeavours.
Productivity will be sure to follow suit!
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