If you’re looking to create or improve your home office, look no further! Whether you do your day job or your side hustle from home, we’ve got tips to help you create the home office of your dreams.
Choosing a Space For Your Home Office
Some of us already have a space designated for an office, which is a great place to start. But if you’re starting from scratch consider that you will probably want to position your office space a decent distance from where you sleep. You don’t want to set up a nook in your bedroom, if you can avoid it. It’s well documented that letting your work areas encroach on your rest areas will disrupt your sleep. And a bad night’s rest spells doom for a day of productivity.
An ideal work space will have a window, and if you can, you should try to position your work area so that you are facing that window. Light can give you a boost of energy as you charge through your day.
One word of warning on choosing a space; a lot of blogs are out there that show adorable pictures of tiny workspaces built in corners and closets. Brilliant design like this can make the most of your space if you’re living in a studio apartment, or you genuinely cannot rearrange in order to devote a whole room to an office space. However, if you can rearrange to accommodate an office, this is ideal. Clever maximization of space has its place, but if you have to spend eight hours a day working, you’re not going to love doing that in a space the size of a bathtub. Of course, the ideal solution isn’t always a viable one, but consider carefully if it might be possible to reconfigure some things–are the kids still really using their play room? Can you section off a portion of the basement? Do you really need a “sitting room” that does nothing but “sit?” Evaluate things practically and think outside the box, and you might find you can re-appropriate space to better suit your needs.
Seating and Work Surfaces
Choosing a chair and desk is the second most important decision that you’ll need to make for your home office. Productivity depends on caring for both your body and mind, so you’ll want to build things around what’s going to support your work habits and lifestyle.
First, think about whether you want the option to do standing work. We all know sitting all day can be hard on us in more ways than one. Standing can keep you alert, and generally helps keep folks in better health. If standing for some part of the day sounds appealing, you may want to consider a desk designed for that purpose, along with a comfortable chair that can be raised to the appropriate height when you do need to sit. Alternatively, you can outfit a wall with a high shelf deep enough for your laptop, either one that is permanently affixed, or that can fold out from the wall when needed.
If you’re in the market for a traditional office desk and chair, do some research before you make your decision. You’ll want to find something ergonomic that you’ll be comfortable in for long periods– a good list can be found here.
Organization
You’ll want to keep the items essential to your work organized and within reach. To accomplish this you’ll want to choose a desk with plenty of storage and/or put up some shelving to keep small items–depending on the nature of your business, the number of items you need close at hand might start getting pretty high. If you’re looking for creative shelving, IKEA has some affordable options, or, you might explore custom cabinets or take the DIY approach.
The last thing you want is clutter that distracts you from working efficiently, though, so keep in mind that you can store some items that you use less frequently in other areas of your home. Back-up external hard drives, extra cords, books and files you only need occasionally don’t need to be right under your nose (or feet).
Technology for a Home Office
Depending on what you do for a living, your office may or may not be especially tech heavy. We do, however, suggest that anyone putting together a home office should invest in a printer and a solid internet connection. You never want to unexpectedly lose your ability to access the web or attend a video call. And while most documents can be dealt with digitally in this day and age, we haven’t quite moved past the need to have hard copy documents occasionally.
If you find that where you’ve nestled your office has a slower or weaker network connection, there are solutions that don’t involve relocating to the kitchen. Try a wifi range extended (like Netgear’s) to get higher speeds. And if you need a reliable printer check out the OfficeJet 5255 or the budget-friendly HP LaserJet Pro MFP M148dw .
Aesthetics and Health
Now, the good part! The way you decorate your home office can have a positive effect on your mood, and your productivity, so it pays to give it a little thought. Though the temptation may be to go neutral with grays beiges and browns (this is a serious space, after all) you actually want to err on the side of brightness–white or off white with some vibrant accent colors are ideal. Red and yellow will keep the energy up if you tend to feel sluggish while working. Meanwhile, if you tend to stress, you might choose blue or green to promote calmer feelings. You can find some great ideas here!
Once you’ve picked out the best colors for your home office, it’s time to think about lighting. Like color, the choice goes beyond aesthetics and does really effect your productivity. Fluorescent lighting isn’t the best choice for offices since it is hard on your eyes. Instead, choose LED or halogen light bulbs in your home office and get as much natural light in the room as possible. Remember our first recommendation of locating by a window? While gazing out the window can be an excellent mental break, the light from outside keeps us awake and alert even when it’s cloudy outside. To reduce eye strain, you’ll want to position a light over your reading area, one on your computer, as well as one behind you. Place the computer monitor a comfortable distance from your chair so that you don’t need to squint or use reading glasses to read the screen. You’ll keep your eyes safe while creating an aesthetically pleasing lighting configuration that enhances your motivation and energy levels.
Having a home office that truly offers a great place to work is an extremely important feature in a home. If you need a home office that just won’t fit into your current layout or won’t be manageable with the space you have available, Hamilton Homes is happy to help. Contact us today!
