Where are you working today?
This year for most has been a year for adaptation and change, with many having to wake up to a different day to day routine, losing the commute and instead, moving the office to their own home. So our question is: where are you working today?
When moving your office space into your home, for some this may be a bit inconvenient. This may be because you simply do not have the extra space or perhaps that your surroundings are just a little…distracting.
Often, working from home doesn’t seem so appetising when you’re actually faced with it. Well, as leading online office suppliers, we understand the matter of space and privacy during those working hours. Here are our top tips on creating your own office whilst utilising the space around you.
Create your own office
Now, we don’t mean start building a new office. Instead, we’re urging you to make a space that is yours and, importantly, is just for work. It has always been vital to distance yourself from your work tasks outside of working hours, keeping your work-life balance in harmony and this is even more imperative when working from home.
Although it can seem appealing to work from your bed or sofa, you won’t get the break you truly deserve when you finish work because you’ll be sitting in the same spot you have been all day. By creating your own working space you’ll feel like you’re stepping out and away from work as soon as that working day is complete.
“Employees are more satisfied working from home if they have a dedicated desk and working space.”
Maximise your surroundings
Following on from the above, how will you be setting up your new office space? Of course, we understand that situations may seem tight, but simply look at what space is available. If you don’t have any space on the floor, how about above?
When working within an office-based position you’ll likely have paperwork that comes with the job and organising this paperwork is just as crucial than when you’re in the office. If you’re short on space, why not look into a sit stand desk? They are easy to tuck away, don’t require a huge amount of space and you don’t need a chair. They’re also great for creating motivation and you can squeeze in a bit of exercise whilst working!
Another great option for saving on space is placing storage blocks above, such as floating shelves, then organising your paperwork with filing books. Or alternatively, if you do have the space available but not in a room of its own, why not invest in a desk that has built-in storage?
Make it practical
Much like our previous point, you want to make your working hours separate from your social life, so step away from the comfort of your sofa or bed and look into investing in a long term office chair. With office jobs heavily based on sitting down for 7-8 hours a day, it’s crucial that you have the correct posture to ensure a healthy lifestyle.
We highly recommend an ergonomic chair, these are built for comfort and longevity, ensuring a correct posture throughout the day and for easy use. With these chairs, back pain should be a thing of the past as ergonomic chairs are designed to mimic each person’s spine, maximising comfort and support.
The most popular ergonomic chair would be the Herman Miller Aeron, with little mechanisms this chair will move with your body when and how you want it to. Or, the Herman Miller Sayl chair, taking inspiration from the Golden Gate bridge, this chair has little mechanisms and is innovative in its design due to its lack of a frame, providing you with complete freedom and support. It is also one of the more affordable designer ergonomic chairs, making this ideal for home use.
Add some colour
It is known that colour can have a huge effect on how we feel and think. These factors are always taken into consideration when designing a workspace, with how to keep all employees motivated and morale up throughout each working day.
Now, we understand that you may not be able to add a new splash of colour surrounding your new working environment. However, adding subtle changes can make all the difference, such as adding in a few plants. These are known to relax and comfort people due to them representing nature and calm, allowing for an easier working day. Or why not try adding in some artwork with splashes of colour such as yellow which is known to improve moods and energy or blue which has been proven to help mental focus.
However, and wherever, you set up your home office, make sure it is suitable for your everyday use. Ensure that you have clear organisational sections, you are seated away from the sofa or bed and most of all that you keep a correct posture during your time working home. You don’t want to feel the effects from a bad posture when you finally do return to work.
