How to Create the Perfect Home Office

*This is a collaborative post

Since the start of the global pandemic, many of us have had to adapt to working from home. Some love it and some hate it, but there are undeniably various pros and cons to staying at home to do our jobs. After the first national lockdown, many business owners have decided to close their offices down for good, realising that their staff work well from home and the huge costs savings involved. Regardless of whether you work from home permanently or just as a temporary measure until lockdown rules are lifted, it’s important to have an appropriate workstation set up to ensure you are comfortable and productive. Here are some tips. 

Obviously, we’re not all lucky enough to live in a huge house with a room dedicated to work, but in times like this we have to make do with what we do have. Get creative and consider your options; perhaps you could renovate your garden shed or the cupboard under the stairs? If possible, try and ensure that your workspace is separate from your living space so that you are able to switch off and maintain that work-life balance; this is crucial for your mental health. 

Regardless of where you choose to set up your workstation, you’ll need to ensure you have a comfortable chair and a desk that is suited to your height. If you are having to bed your arms or hunch your shoulders in order to reach your computer, you will end up with aches and pains and possibly even severe conditions like repetitive strain injury.

Lighting is also important in a working environment. As humans, we are wired to work during the day, when it’s light, so try and set up near a window if possible. If not, an overhead light will do but you won’t want this to be directly above your desk because you may end up with glare shining off your computer screen. Without adequate lighting, you may end up with eye strain and headaches, which will do nothing for your productivity. 

As well as the furniture and lighting, think about what sort of tech you might need. Are there any programs or software that you might need to install, like Adobe Photoshop, for example? If you make a lot of phone calls, then perhaps you need an office phone rather than using your personal device. Another thing to think about is an office printer. Anything that is necessary to your job will most likely be provided to you by your employer, so don’t be afraid to ask.