As technology continues to develop, so do the opportunities to work from home. In fact, more and more companies, both small and large, are quickly seeking the advantages of having remote workers. Not only does it lessen any overhead costs, but it provides people with a flexible work schedule. This is, no doubt, a win-win situation. However, before you go on setting up your home office, there are a few things to keep in mind before starting.
Know Your Needs
A home office is only good as the tools that it offers. Even if you have every tech gadget on the market today, if it can’t provide you with concrete benefits regarding your job, then what’s the point? Before you even begin moving in furniture, it is vital to understand what you will need from your home office. What do you need to be able to do? Will you need to make a lot of calls? Then you might benefit from investing in a high-quality phone. Do you print large volumes of paper? Printer space and supplies will surely be a part of your list moving forward. In the end, your essentials must always be at the top of your list when setting up your first home office.
Finding Space
The location of your home office is often one of the most important, if not the most important, factor in getting work done. Being able to work within a silent and disturbance-free area of your home is vital to producing high-quality work. However, what if you are not able to find a quiet space inside your home? A rising trend amongst stay at home employees is the introduction of separate home offices through the use of a prefabricated garage. Prefab garages come in different designs so you can choose the one that best matches your home and personal tastes. They provide you with ultimate privacy as you are away from not only your home but from busy streets as well. If you need space to work, this might be a great alternative to setting up within a room inside your home.
Choosing the Right Light
When it comes to lighting, you must understand that the room you will be working from should not have the same brightness as your bedroom. Natural light is your best friend, so that should be your first task. If you have the option, choose a room with a large window to convert into your home office. If lots of natural light isn’t an option for brighten your workplace, then use the next best thing: daylight-simulating LEDs. These lamps use very little energy, produce bright light, and the sunlight-simulating color will energize you throughout the workday.
Installing a Dedicated Phone Line
There is no doubt that if you’re a small business owner looking to save some money, working from home is the best way to go. However, this often means that you will probably end up using the same phone lines that you use to speak with your family members with clients as well. This can be a mistake on your part as it not only makes you look unprofessional, but it makes potential clients question the legitimacy of your company. You could simply use your personal cellphone or invest in your own dedicated phone line.
Getting Creative With Storage
One of the benefits of working from a building is that you have an almost limitless amount of storage. This changes dramatically when you opt-in for a home office. Suddenly you begin to notice those client documents begin to pile up in the corner of your office. Allowing clutter to build can lead to wrong orders being sent out or clients being ignored. Before setting up for your home office, it is vital that people think about areas that can be used for storage. Some great ways to keep your office organized is to use file cabinets as the base of your desk. Desks take up a lot of room, why not utilize this area to keep at reach length all your important papers?
Add a Clock
One of the benefits of working from home is that you don’t have your boss breathing down your neck every five minutes. This can be a great thing for most, but for some, it can actually lessen the quality of their work. It is important to install a clock on your wall in order to keep you focused on your work. This could mean setting up a time when you can take your break or when you finish the day off for good.
Overstock on Inventory
Unlike a traditional office where you often have a large supplies closet, there’s a high probability that you’re going to run out of supplies quickly. Therefore, before setting up your office, make sure to overstock on the necessities. This can include pencils, pens, post-its, and anything you will need to function properly throughout the workweek. There is nothing worse than killing it and having to go to the store to pick up printer paper.
Design for Comfort
Your home office is a room that you’re going to spend hours in, why not make it as comfortable as possible for yourself? Include ergonomic chairs to protect your back for those sitting marathons. It would be wise to also add a small sofa to your office (if you have the room) in order to rest your eyes a bit. If there is any area of your office that you should splurge on, it’s in your level of comfort. After all, this is where you are going to be working for eight hours a day, five days per week.
Designing your home office can be one of the most exciting parts of your new job or business. However, it is incredibly important to take a step back and envision the true purpose of the room. Is this going to be a casual office that simply requires typing emails, or will you be on the phone calling multiple people per day? No matter your home office purpose, it is important that you adhere to the list above to begin laying down the foundations of an efficient home office.
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