On average, 70 million people in the US work from home, with that number rising every year. If you are about to join the millions of home workers, then the chances are that you’re in the midst of creating a home office to work from.
Whether you are launching your own virtual business and running it from home or have just landed a job with a company that prefers its workers to work remotely, you will need a dedicated space to work within your home, somewhere that’s reserved purely for working and nothing else. If you are going to need to take part in meetings, either over the phone or via video link, having a dedicated office space at home becomes even more important as first impressions count.
When it comes to creating a home office to work remotely from, most people make the mistake of rushing the process and not thinking things through carefully enough. What you don’t want to do is make this mistake — it’s vital that you take your time when it comes to creating your home office, to ensure that it has all the right features in place and is a perfect match for what you need to use it for.
Remember, it’s not a corporate space
Yes, a home office is still a workspace but the difference being that it’s not a corporate space. This means that it doesn’t have to fit the same design expectations as a corporate office does, it can have a more personalized vibe to it. You don’t have to stick to neutral colours like in a corporate office space; you can add a little colour and pattern to it, depending on your personal preference, of course.
Studies have shown that office spaces that have a personal look and feel to them tend to be happier places. A lot of home workers report feeling depressed and anxious when working from home, and often these feelings are linked to the environment in which they work. That’s why it’s so important to ensure that your office is a space that is a perfect fit for you and your needs.
Don’t fail to think about wellness
One of the biggest mistakes that you can make when it comes to a home office is failing to think about wellness. The fact is that you will most probably spend upwards of 35 hours a week in the space, so it should be something that’s created with your wellness and mental health in mind. Otherwise, the space could begin to have an impact on you.
The fact is that most companies that use remote workers require them to have a dedicated office space of their own, complete with a window that lets in natural light and air. This is because working in an environment with no windows or no natural air flow can impact a person’s happiness levels and mental health. So it’s worth taking note of these kinds of things when it comes to creating your own home office, to ensure that it’s a space that doesn’t impact your wellness negatively. For home office design ideas, resources like FreshHome.com can be useful.
Of course, a lot of office wellness is linked to how the space is designed and decorated, from the style of the decor to the features that are in place. For example, studies show that working spaces that incorporate nature into them, such as with potted plants, tend to have more relaxed and tranquil vibes. So it’s worth having a couple of leafy indoor plants in your home office, to help make it a more relaxing and tranquil space. It’s also important to ensure that the space has lots of natural light streaming in, as artificial lighting can cause headaches and vision problems.
Then there’s your desk and chair to think about. Now, what you don’t want is to choose a desk and chair that isn’t of a good quality, because if this is the case, you could end up with back or neck problems. You see, the aesthetics of a desk chair and desk are important, as a chair that’s too low or doesn’t give enough support or a desk that is too low, can lead to various health problems. That’s why investing in good quality pieces is vital. Don’t let the cost hold you back if money is an issue use sites like DontPayFull.com to see if you can pick up an ergonomic desk chair and desk for an affordable price. That way, you won’t need to worry about damaging your back or neck because you will have quality furniture to use while working.
Take productivity into account
When it comes to the design and layout of your home office, ensure that you take productivity into account. Believe it or not, the design and layout of your office — whether that’s a corporate office or a home office — directly impacts your ability to focus, and thus, how productive you are while working. It’s not just about the rules of feng shui; it’s about ensuring that the office you create is a good match for you, and gives you what you need to work productively.
According to various studies, a well-designed and laid out office space can boost productivity by over 20 per cent. That’s why it’s so important to spend some time thinking about how you lay your office out and what goes where, as well as what features you should incorporate into the space. The most important factors include lack of clutter (clutter impacts your ability to focus), the colour of the room (a colour that’s too bright and bold will cause stress, it’s best to stick to light and neutral tones), and the temperature of the room (if it’s too hot or too cold you won’t be able to focus because you will be uncomfortable).
There you have it, everything that you should know about designing a home office when you work remotely from home. Take note of the tips and advice above, and you can create a space that’s not only perfectly laid out to promote productivity, but that also makes working from home more enjoyable.
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