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How to Create a Home Office and Why You Should

A woman works in a home office.

INSIDE: When you’re working from home, knowing how to create a home office you love will go a long way in helping you enjoy your work, be productive, and balance work and home life. These tips will surely help!

Working remotely offers a lot of flexibility and freedom that traditional work can’t provide. As technology continues to advance, our options for remote work become greater and more appealing.

We’re in a time when we have the ability to make presentations, conduct team meetings and get our reports done before the deadline, all from the comfort of our own home.

Working remotely has many great benefits, from saving time on commuting to saving money on gas and wear and tear on your car. It also gives you space to be more creative, have fewer distractions and waste less time on chats around the water cooler.

And who doesn’t love working in pj’s while drinking their coffee from their favorite mug? Amirite?

But to work from home effectively, you not only need the right work from home tools, but also a home office that provides a space for creativity and productivity.

While a home office doesn’t have to be an entire room separated from the rest of your house, you do have to have a space that’s dedicated to work. It should be a space that shifts your mindset from home to work mode.

So how do you create a home office that works?

Here are some tips on how to create a home office that’s perfect for you

1. Don’t bring your work to bed.

Your bed is specifically designed for comfort so you can sleep better. Sitting up in bed with your laptop blurs the line between work and home, which should be separate.

Working in bed doesn’t provide the change in atmosphere needed for your mind to change gears from sleep mode to work mode. You’ll find yourself too relaxed to be productive.

Yes, you may actually get some work done, but you’ll get much more work done once you get out of bed.

And when you’ve finished working for the day, you’ll sleep better when you do go to bed – there’s even science behind it.

2. Create a dedicated space.

You don’t have to have a living room or spare bedroom to have a dedicated home office.

But it’s important that you create a space that is specifically for working. When I started working from home, I worked from the kitchen table.

What made it a dedicated workspace was that I sat in the same place every single time. I knew exactly where my laptop would be, where to place my mouse, and where to place my pen and pad.

While my laptop didn’t permanently stay in the place, it was ALWAYS the place that I used to work from home.

Now I have a desk in the den that has the same functionality, but I’m able to close the door and make my home office setup more private and quiet. Time management is a lot easier that way.

The idea is to find a work space that can function well for your needs. Whether that is your kitchen table or a desk and office chair in the corner of a room, a dedicated space that works for you is one of the most important home office must-haves.

3. Invest in high-speed internet.

When working at a traditional office, you have business internet and high-speed broadband service, which help you work faster and with minimal wait time.

When you work from home, you should try to have the same experience. If you’re on a Zoom call with your team, you don’t want to cut in and out because of your low-grade internet service.

Likewise, if you have to do research for a presentation or need to open several screens at once, your efficiency will depend on how fast your internet service is. So be sure to get the fastest internet speed you can afford.

Some employers provide an internet stipend if you work from home on a regular basis, so check with your employer to see your options.

4. Use a wireless mouse.

Working from home often means that you have less space than your work office space. It’s essential to create a home office that is highly functional so you can get your work done faster with comfort.

Using a wireless mouse (and maybe a wireless keyboard, if you work on a desktop computer) means you’ll have fewer wires in your way, which gives you a cleaner space to do your work effectively.

5. Keep it lit.

Your working space, that is. Make sure your home office has proper lighting so you’re able to comfortably view your documents and your computer.

The more comfort you have in your home office space, the more productive you’ll be.

Poor lighting can affect your morale and can actually lead to lack of productivity. It can also cause eyestrain and headaches.

So it’s critical to have good lighting that gives you energy and allows you to see everything clearly.

You can keep your home office well lit by moving your desk near a large window, having a desk lamp or floor lamp with a natural daylight bulb, or placing your desk in a well-lit room in your home.

Don’t underestimate the power of good lighting ideas when setting up your home office. The light will make a big difference in your overall output and comfort.

6. Keep it tidy: Dedicate a place for paper storage.

Keeping your workspace organized and free of clutter will make a big difference, not only in finding items quickly but in your overall stress level. Having a clean desk actually provides stress relief, according to smallbizdaily.com.

Keeping your paperwork organized by task or project will give you momentum in your work because you don’t have to stop working to find that contract your boss randomly asks you about.

Perhaps have a place designated to store your files and paperwork. This will keep your papers neat, and it won’t take away valuable workspace on your desk.

Think of your desk space as precious real estate. You want to keep it open and inviting for work.

A simple Dollar Tree or Target document bin can be sufficient. If you don’t want to buy a storage compartment, perhaps find a drawer where you can neatly put away your paper files and office supplies.

7. Add some greenery.

A potted plant is not a requirement for a good, productive workspace, but an indoor plant does provide a calming effect and freshens the air at the same time.

An office plant also tends to be aesthetically pleasing and can make you feel happier while you’re working in your space. A happier you means you’re more energized for a good day’s work.

Having live plants also has amazing benefits, such as reducing stress and even reducing noise pollution. Did you know that plants can help reduce noise distractions? Yeah, it’s a real thing.

If you’re working from home, having a home office is key to success

Working from home can be a great opportunity to feel independent while still working with a team. It gives you flexibility when you need it and provides a lot of great benefits.

But to be effective at working from home, you must have a dedicated office space. The most successful people who work from home create a space that’s inviting, energetic, organized and functional.

These productivity tips will help you create a home office that works for you, so you can do better work. Whether you work from home on a regular basis or sporadically, having a dedicated workspace will optimize productivity.

SmartCents Mom