These days many people have a home office of some kind, whether they work from home or simply bring their work home occasionally. So it is important that you make your home office work for you.
Here are some useful tips for setting up or reorganizing your office for maximum efficiency.
Office Furnishings
Your Office Desk
Your desk will be the centerpiece of your office’s furnishings. It will hold most of your other equipment and frame your workspace.
Move some of your office supplies to these shelves so you can get by with a smaller desk or have more desk space. Here are some desk suggestions:
- you are looking for a desk that does not look like a desk
- your budget is limited
- you are looking for something with plenty of drawers and shelves at a reasonable price
- you are looking for a desk that will fit into a corner without taking too much room
Spend some time visualizing yourself going about every task you could conceivably have to complete in a working day. This will help you get an idea of the ideal structure of your office. Which will in turn help you decide which desk would make the ideal foundation for that structure.
Your Office Chair and Other Equipment
The next step is to pick the perfect accessories and equipment to go with it. In picking out a chair, comfort is important. But so is cost. Do not pay for a chair that is so comfortable you could work in it eight hours a day, if you know you will only be sitting in it two or three hours a day.
Make sure you only stock your office with accessories and equipment that are work-related. You probably do not need surround sound and a subwoofer in your work area. As these would likely be distracting. Try to keep games and unnecessary applications off the computer you use for work.
Staying Focused
Ultimately, you should keep in mind that your work area should be set aside for work. Ideally this means setting your office up in a room that is quiet and separate from the rest of your house. Try not to leave anyone a reason to disturb you while you are working. If some of the equipment you use for your work is shared with family members (like a pen, stapler, or telephone), consider buying a duplicate.
Also, it can be helpful to have a discussion with your family or the people you live with about how important it is to you that you are not disturbed while you are working unless it is an emergency. Little distractions really add up. Especially when you take into consideration the time it takes to fully refocus your attention on the task at hand after each and every distraction.
Additional Considerations
In addition to potential distractions, other things must be considered when deciding where to locate your home office. We truly live in the digital age, and most home office stations require numerous power outlets to accommodate all their peripherals. If you cannot find a quiet location in your home with enough power outlets to meet your needs, you should invest in a surge protector. These are usually a good idea even if you think you have plenty of outlet-space.
