Barnyard Grey

With global changes to the world of work, many people are now working from home for the first time. Before setting up your laptop and diving into your work, take a moment and consider what you need to be effective, and what makes sense for your home.

Start by choosing a dedicated area for your home office. It may be true that the beauty of a laptop is that you can work anywhere, but the best way to create a daily routine for yourself, is to have somewhere you go to everyday. Whether you have a separate room, or if you will be working from a shared space, it is important to create a comfortable work environment as this is key to having a productive day, especially at home.

Desert Fawn

Once you’ve decided on where your home office will be, make sure that the area you’ve chosen has enough space to put all the things you would normally use, to complete your daily tasks. Think about space for the laptop and computer monitor, if you have one, do you need a notice board, is there a plug point nearby, or a handy place to put your cellphone and very importantly, is there a space for your coffee cup. If you need to reference a number of files, or if you use notebooks or sketchpads in your work, consider how you’re going to keep these tidy.

If you’re working in a shared space, like the dining room table, then ensure you have somewhere to store your work when transitioning from home office to family dinner. Clear a space on a nearby shelf, or pack everything into a storage unit with wheels that can be wheeled away easily.

Oak Wood

Access to natural light and fresh air is a natural mood booster, which will help as you navigate through the online meetings, conference calls and various other platforms for work sharing that replace the traditional face-to-face meeting. A bit of greenery, be it a view of your garden, or a pot plant is also a calming influence that shouldn’t be ignored when creating your ideal home office.

Finally, is your home office well suited for all seasons? If your home isn’t airconditioned, put some thought into getting a ceiling fan for warmer weather, or placing a heater close by for winter. Look for a handy desk-sized option if space is at a premium, to ensure your office space is as comfortable as possible.

As the world makes new demands on us and on how we work, taking a moment to create your home office is time well-spent. We wish you well with your new space, and for all the new ideas that you’ll come up with there. After all, Sir Isaac Newton formulated his theories on calculus from his home office, so just imagine what you can do!