Working from Home {Setting Up Your Space}
Working from Home
I’ve worked from home several times now and being efficient and successful while in the comfort and ease of my own home has always been a challenge. While any work place is incredibly distracting, home offers you snacks, small children, noisy neighbors, barking dogs, door-to-door salesmen, TIVO, and all the lure of internet connection. It’s no small feat to set up a productive work station and actually be productive without turning their home into a virtual office. In fact, many are unable to achieve a good balance between work and leisure time to the point that they are frustrated and stressed.
Tips for Being Successful from Home
Much of being productive at home is treating your work space as an office. Note that I said “work space”- not your entire home. You will need to choose an isolated area (preferably away from TV and the kitchen) that is your work haven and treat it as such. When you are working, do not take personal calls, do not take a snack beak, do not check the mail. Act like you are at the office, which may involve setting up certain hours and even a professional level of dress. In addition to this mentality, here are some practical steps for actually setting up your work space for maximum ergonomic comfort and productivity.
Create a work station, whether it’s an entire guest room or just a nook of the living room. You might need shelves above your desk to maximize vertical wall room, or even shelves with baskets or organizational boxes {think IKEA} to house various things you like/need to use frequently, but not frequently enough to keep on your desktop (such as receipts, bills, basic paperwork, office supplies, etc.). For some, it’s fun to choose brightly colored baskets and accents to make the work space seem more personal, while others prefer neutrals or a monochromatic look to keep it professional-feeling even at home. It’s up to you to know yourself well enough to know what you might like or need.- Set up your work station. More than likely your job includes a computer, which then necessitates a keyboard, mouse, and printer. Be sure to keep your keyboard and mouse right next to each other and on the same surface (preferably on a keyboard tray). Your monitor should be raised to eye level so you don’t have to bend your neck to see it well. You can use one or more monitor lifts to achieve this.
- Try an ergonomic adjustable desk. There are many advantages- first, ergo products are designed for maximum comfort. Less strain and stress on your overworked body is always a good thing. Second, there’s a spot for everything, or at least your most important items: computer, printer, keyboard and mouse. Those spots are well-plotted so that you don’t strain to reach them and so you can keep good ergonomic posture. Also, they are adjustable to meet your needs and many different set-ups. Last, there are even some that are made to close and go so you can pack them away and even take them with you.
- Try a sound machine to block out distracting noises. You’ll feel less irritated, be less distracted, and therefore become more productive.
- Finally, set up work hours and follow them. Whether you have to force yourself to fulfill them or quite the opposite, have to tear yourself away from work, remember that you are at home. Having good boundaries honors everyone’s time.
The main idea is to set up a work space at home that allows you to work effectively. Following good ergonomic principles in setting up your home office and adding your own splashes of personality are key in achieving a successful work space at home.