Throughout the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, many enterprises and businesses came to realize the advantages of remote work. Additionally, countless members of the workforce became aware that they needn’t be present in a formal work environment to do their jobs effectively and efficiently. In fact, many of us prefer working from home so much that we’d sooner quit our current jobs than return to the office. Whether you’ve just started working from home or have been telecommuting for quite a while, it stands to reason that you’d want to make yourself as comfortable as possible in your new office. So, if your home workspace leaves something to be desired, put the following pointers into practice.
Work in a Distraction-Free Area
Copious distractions are among the biggest downsides to working at home. Since your home is your sanctuary from the outside world, it’s where all your favorite leisure items can be found. From video games to televisions to books, most modern homes contain no shortage of potential distractions. If you’re a solid self-motivator, such distractions may not be an issue, but for the rest of us, they can serve as a big impediment to making efficient use of our time.
With this in mind, make sure your designated work area features as few potential distractions as possible. Granted, as long as our work computers and smartphones are with us, we can never completely stamp out possible diversions, but minimizing the number of distractions scattered about your work area can be a boon to productivity.
Minimize Clutter
Clutter can prove inconvenient on a number of levels. For starters, it serves as a distraction. If all you see is clutter every time you look up from your work, you’re liable to have trouble focusing on the task at hand. Furthermore, if the clutter is work-related, this can lead to frustrating disorganization problems. So, if you currently lack a dedicated file cabinet or storage area for documents pertaining to your job, now would be the perfect time to rectify this mistake.
Invest in a Dedicated Work Desk
When many of us work from home, we tend to set up shop in areas that are ill-equipped for working. Kitchen tables, coffee tables and even television trays are just a few of the desk substitutes remote workers regularly utilize. While these stand-ins can do in a pinch, they’re not exactly well-suited to serve as long-term desks.
As such, if you intend to work from home for the foreseeable future, you’d be wise to invest in a dedicated work desk. This will ensure that you have ample space to accommodate your work computer, printer and any other devices your job requires. Purchasing a work desk can also relieve your family members of the headache of maneuvering around your various documents and devices every time they sit down at the table.
Of course, this isn’t to say that every remote worker will need to invest in a massive multi-level desk. For example, if you’re short on space and a laptop is the only device you use throughout the workday, a compact work desk – or even a small lap desk – should suit your needs perfectly.
Maintain Comfortable Indoor Temps
In the interest of staying comfortable while working from home, take measures to maintain agreeable indoor temps. For example, if you live in an area that’s prone to uncomfortably warm weather, make sure your work area is outfitted with a dependable ceiling fan. Since ceiling fans are available in a wide variety of styles and sizes, finding one that’s uniquely suited to your home office should be a breeze. For example, if your work area doesn’t have much ceiling space to spare, compact hugger ceiling fans should be right up your alley. Additionally, to ensure maximum air circulation, every area of your home should be equipped with a high-quality ceiling fan.
