When it comes to working from home, your needs can essentially be boiled down to three things:
- You need self-discipline
- You almost certainly need the best possible WiFi connection
- In addition to these things, it stands to reason you also need a good workspace
Creating a home office isn’t difficult by any means. It can nonetheless be an overwhelming task for a first-timer. One of the first things you should keep in mind is that you probably won’t nail it on the first try.
With something like how to create the best home office setup, remember some fine-tuning may be involved.
Why It’s Important To Have A Good Workspace
The value of taking your workspace seriously cannot be understated.
You want something that combines form and function in the most effective fashion possible. This means creating a space that emphasizes concentration. At the same time, you don’t want to just have a flat, boring space.
Your home office setup needs to be professional, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be personal.
With that thought in mind, we’ve put together some tips to create a home office. These are tips that just about anyone can put into action.
Keeping Your Work Needs In Mind
Understanding your work needs is the first step. Some would argue it is the most important step. This might be because it can set the tone for everything else you do.
Are you sketching?
Taking phone calls?
Creating spreadsheets?
Something else?
All of those things?
The type of work you do will determine how much space you need, what sort of desk you will require, and how flexible the workspace is. It also helps to determine the materials you will want to buy.
If you plan to run a business from this space, what you choose should reflect that. If the space will be used sparingly, it stands to reason you won’t need as much stuff.
That is just one thing to keep in mind. Here are some simple DIY tips to create the best possible home office setup:
- Make your space specific: There should be a clear distinction between your home office and the rest of the house. When you first step into the space, your first thought should be work.
- Figure out your environment: Don’t set up an office in a space that just won’t work for you over the long run. Do you want complete privacy? Do you need to be able to get to other parts of your home with ease? Figuring out your environment is right at the top of the list.
- Minimize distractions: Knowing your comfort zone can make it easier to eliminate distractions.
- Use your resources: Some people spend tens of thousands on a home office. You don’t have to do that. Even if you don’t have a lot of space, consider your resources. Don’t be afraid to work with what you have. For example, some use rolling file carts.
- Have some storage space: Even if you plan to rely mostly on digital archives. It is still a good idea to create space for personal papers.
These are just a few things to keep in mind.
Further DIY Home Office Tips
One of the best parts about creating a home office?
You get to prioritize your own comfort.
You get to do this in a fashion generally not available in traditional work spaces. For example, if you are using an entire room, don’t be afraid to paint it your favorite color. In fact, unless you are planning to have clients come to your home on a regular basis, you can essentially do whatever you want in the décor department. Just make sure to create a space that will allow you optimize your productivity!
A supportive chair, one which is also ergonomically correct, is also an essential fixture. While the trend these days is to stand as much as possible, having a good chair is still important.
Greenery is another good idea. Plants produce oxygen, which is certainly useful. At the same time, they also help to create a soothing atmosphere. We also like the fact that plants lend themselves well to variety. You can create just about any impression you please.
It can also be a good idea to set a workspace near a window. Being exposed to sunlight can be beneficial on a number of levels. It also gives you a nice view, which can provide the brain with essential breaks while working.
The Value Of A Clean Workspace
A clean workspace is also important.
Personal touches are good, but it’s also true that there can be too much of a good thing.
What you ultimately want is at least some attention to minimalism. We won’t tell you to avoid personal touches completely. At the same time, you still want to create a space that is very distinctly designed for work.
It can also be helpful to have a box or drawer established for your various pieces of technology. Knowing where to go when you need something will certainly help your efficiency.
A combination of natural light and lamps is probably best. Lamps are of course ideal for working late into the night. On the other hand, you want to be able to take advantage of natural light during the day. This is particularly true for anyone who is planning to add plants to the space.
If you have the space, consider adding something that allows you to rest. This is highly dependent upon how much room you have. Nonetheless, if you can add something like a couch, strongly consider it. This is something that will also depend on how much time you plan to spend there. The upside to all of this? No one is going to be able to see you take a nap!
At the same time, you should also make it a point to avoid things like TVs. It can’t be helped that you’re on the internet. You can still minimize the potential for unwelcome distractions.
How To Optimize Your Workspace
Don’t be afraid to switch things up on a rotating basis. By this, we mean swap out your photos and other personal touches on occasion. This can freshen up the space. At the same time, it is a low-fi, straightforward way to affordably redecorate. If you have a budget to do a full redecoration, you should strongly consider doing so.
Some suggest adding a mini-fridge to a home office setup. This can be a good way to keep coffee, water, and healthy snacks on hand. Some take it a step further and even have a coffeemaker on hand. Again, this is something that is dependent upon how much space you have.
It is also important to take breaks. This is good for the mind, as you can imagine. At the same time, it also strengthens your distinction between a work space and personal space. When you want to take a break, move to a personal space. There is certainly nothing wrong with taking advantage of an opportunity to go for a walk.
You should also decide ahead of time, if you’re going to share the space with others. Some people allow their kids or spouses to use the space, as well. This can define how you ultimately create the space. On the other hand, it can be highly frustrating to have others in a place that wasn’t defined for them. Knowing what you want for the end result ahead of time can go a long way towards avoiding such headaches.
Finishing Touches
Remember that your space doesn’t have to be drab and boring. While you don’t have a lot of control over a professional working space, a personal space is different. You still want to create a space for efficiency. Just as easily, you can also use the space to define your personality.
What do you need to be happy?
What creates an ideal atmosphere of productivity?
There are as many different answers to those questions as there are people.
If you happen to be particularly talented at building furniture, certainly go that route in creating your space.
It stands to reason that you are going to have this space for a long time.
To that end, you should be able to put as much or as little work into the finished result as you please. You want something that will inspire you to work simply by existing in its ongoing state. The closer you can get to that concept, the better off you are going to be.
Never forget at any given point that you can define the concept as you see fit. Take a chance to get creative. Browse DIY home offices on Instagram. Not surprisingly, inspiration can come from a variety of different places.
Above all else, do your best to enjoy this process. Don’t turn it into another chore. That will likely be reflected in what you create. When you enjoy the process, you will be left with your ideal home office setup.
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