One of the great advantages of having a home business is having your own home office that allows you to be as flexible and creative as possible to help suit your working style. Working within a large cooperation can limit you to certain ways of working, and this may be counter-productive. There will already be a system in place for employees, and unless you have a certain amount of authority, changing this system will be a hard fought battle.
The way you maintain your home office will have a significant effect on your productivity and mood throughout the working day. Keeping it clear will keep your mind clear to concentrate on the important tasks ahead. Below are some tips on how to creative that ultimate home office.
1. Keep Personal Life and Work Life Separate
Balancing your personal life and work life can be a challenge, and one that tends to creep in without you knowing. It’s important for you to not let your personal life interfere with your work, and vice-versa. The challenge does become more apparent when working from home as distractions are more prominent (such as televisions, family members and chores).
Keeping boundaries on what goes on within your home office is one big step that should be taken in order to ensure that only work-like activities are performed in the home office. Another step is to keep your workspace distinct from the rest of your rooms within your home. Having such a great diversity on room style can have a big psychological effect on how you split work and play.
2. A Clean Office Is a Clean Mind
Are you one to procrastinate when it comes to cleaning your office? Are you forever loosing important documents under the piles of paper sitting beside you? It’s time to clean up, and keep it clean. A study from OfficeMax in 2011 reported that 77% of respondents claimed that unorganized clutter negatively affected their productivity.
Many people decide to do a deep cleaning when they reach end of tenancy in a living or workplace situation. Don’t delay cleaning, as since you work out a home office, it’s especially important to have routine cleanings to make sure your equipment are well taken care of and the atmosphere is hygienic.
Set yourself time within each and every week to organize your desk, wipe down surfaces, dust and vacuum. As we all know, our work load can get on top of us, causing us to create such a mess. But to actively set yourself time to clean will significantly reduce the amount of clutter in your home office.
3. Keep a Stockpile of Healthy Snacks Within Reach
Working while hungry can become a huge distraction, more so if you keep eating unhealthy foods that don’t fill you up. While it’s very important to start your working day on a full stomach of slow energy releasing goodness, it’s also important to keep healthy snacks handy, for when you do start to feel a bit peckish during the day.
Having a stockpile of long-lasting snacks will save you time from popping down to the shop to grab something sweet. Dried fruits, nuts, and water are popular choices to help keep you going during the day.
4. Ergonomic Efficiency
Working from home no doubt leaves you to accumulate a lot of hours spent sitting down each week. This can have a significant effect on your health if you fail to be aware of your posture. Dr Rishi Loatey, from the British Chiropractic Association, said, “The majority of people we see for back pain are people doing sedentary office- type jobs and leading a sedentary lifestyle” (Metro.co.uk, 2012).
Investing in an ergonomic chair that encourages posture is key to sustaining your health while you work. Every person is different, so it is advised that you don’t rush into buying any old ergonomic chair. Understand its features and make sure it suits your size. Along with helping you keep your health in check, you will also be more productive as back pain, along with other health complications, can be avoided.
5. Invest in a Whiteboard
Having a whiteboard handy can be a great way to jot down ideas before you forget. Not only will you free yourself from the shackles of your computer, it will help you visualize your ideas.
The whiteboard can be used for a variety of reasons: jotting down notes, setting yourself targets, and adding a to-do list. Whatever you do with your whiteboard, just make sure you use it regularly to keep the ideas flowing.
Adapting to Your New Surroundings
It may take some time to adapt to your new surroundings and ways of working, so try not to implement all of the changes at once. Add the tips above in incremental stages to help maximize the full benefit of each one. Don’t be afraid to experiment. If something isn’t working, try something new.
