More and more people work from home than ever before. Whether that is part of paid employment and they just work from home on certain days a week, or that they work as a freelancer or take on side hustle work that they can do from home. This shift in work space, though, especially when you may not have been in an office in years, means that there is a lot of responsibility on your shoulders to make the office at home comfortable, conducive to working, safe, and productive. A well-designed office space is important for your well being, as well as being the key to making sure that your home-based business is a success.
With all of that in mind, what are the best things to be doing? If you are new to working from home or want to start doing so, then you might be looking for some ideas to help. Here are some workplace design tips that you can recreate at home, to make sure that you have a work space that promotes healthy, well-being, and productivity.
Flexible Layout
When you are looking to design the office at home, it is a good idea to make the layout as flexible as possible. For starters, you might not have a separate space that you can even have as an office, and the layout will need to be flexible as it also serves another function in the home. But even if you have a dedicated space, it is important to remember that your working habits can change over time. So you may need to move things around quite easily.
Cost-Effective
When starting out a career from home or a home-based business, there is no need to add too much expenditure to starting out. Which is why your office should be cost-effective when you’re thinking about the layout of it all. If you have a separate space to use, perhaps something like an outhouse or garage that can be converted, then look for some ways to make it cost-effective. These kinds of renovations will add value to the home, but there is no need to spend too much to get it done. Something like concrete resurfacing can be a cost-effective way of changing the flooring, and perhaps looking for pre-loved office furniture items that you can use. You don’t need to spend a lot to get a comfortable and practical space to work in from home.
Body Needs
When you are going to be spending a lot of your time in your office space, it really pays to make sure that you listen to your body so that the space can fit those needs. For example, if you suffer from a lot of screen glare and it hurts your eyes, making sure that you have plenty of natural light, with your computer facing a window, could be the best solution to help. If you suffer with back or neck pain, then getting a supportive chair, rather than one that just look good, is a great idea too.
