Working from home has many advantages. For one, workers save time, energy, and money since they don’t have to commute to and from work every day. Working parents also have more time to spend with their children now than ever before. Theoretically, working from home gives employees more personal time to do whatever they want to do, be it starting a new hobby, catching up on their favorite shows, or working toward their fitness goals. Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case.
For people who are new to remote working, it can be a huge challenge to adapt to this different work setup. Moreover, working from home has its own set of drawbacks that need to be remedied before workers can return to their usual levels of productivity. If you’re struggling to stay productive while working from home, a conducive working environment may help improve your focus and efficiency.
Below are five tips to create a home office that encourages productivity.
Designate a Dedicated Working Space
Find a place in your home to designate as your workspace. Whether it’s a portion of your kitchen table or a room in your house, you should have an area where you can work comfortably, without any distractions. Designating a dedicated workspace helps you create a boundary between office hours and personal time. When you’re in your home office, you only have to focus on work and nothing else. Having a dedicated workspace at home also allows you more privacy, boosts concentration, and gives the psychological effect of working in the office.
Get Your Work Tools Set Up
You can’t work efficiently if you don’t have your complete set of work tools at hand. If you’re forced to work from home because of the current pandemic, ask your manager if you can take your work tools home. This way, you have everything you need to get the job done. For those who are unable to bring their tools from the office, the most important equipment you need to have is a quality computer with a stable internet connection.
Organize Your Desk
An organized desk or workstation encourages focus and peace of mind. That said, make sure to keep anything that may distract you away from your desk. These include nonwork-related gadgets and items, such as game consoles, televisions, and entertainment sets. Most importantly, organize your work tools neatly and systematically. Keep cables and wires out of sight, and place your tools at arm’s length so you can access them without having to stand or make big movements.
Let Natural Light In
Aside from boosting vitamin D production, natural light offers many benefits to the mind and body. Exposure to natural light also helps you sleep better and longer, and everyone knows how important sleep is to one’s mental acuity and overall well-being. One study at Cornell University also found that exposure to natural light helps reduce issues, such as blurred vision, eyestrain, and headache. Therefore, pull up to those blinds or ditch those drapes, and let natural light into your home office.
Create an Ergonomic Workstation
If you’re going to be working from home for some time, you may as well invest in improving the ergonomics of your workstation. You can do the following improvements to make your workstation ergonomic:
Use an adjustable chair with lower back support.
Place your monitor and other displays at eye level.
Make sure your lighting does not cause glare to your computer screen.
Situate your keyboard and mouse in such a way that will help you maintain a neutral position.
Utilize ergonomic accessories, such as footrests, headsets, balance ball chairs, and wrist rests to help maintain a neutral position.
The Takeaway
Working from home can be tough, especially if you’ve never done it before. However, creating a conducive work environment at home can help reduce the challenges of this new work setup. From designating a dedicated working space to improving the ergonomics of your home office, these changes can make working from home much easier and help you stay focused and productive.
What are your personal tips to stay productive while working from home? Share them with us in the comments section below.
