home office

Many of us have often dreamed of working from the comfort of our own home, rolling out of bed at 08:50, grabbing a quick coffee and staring the work day still in the comfort of our pyjamas. The fact is that for some lucky few, this is no longer a dream but a reality as remote working and flexible working options have both become increasingly commonplace.

Whether you are working from home because you are self-employed, or making the most of the work from home days that your company has allowed you to take, the key to successfully working in is having the right office set up. This requires you to do a number of things, from making sure that you your home broadband can handle the extra use, to ensuring that your home office has everything in it that you will need to carry out your daily duties. To find out what else you’ll need to do in order to create the perfect home office, read on for what we think are some of the most important considerations.

Make Sure You Have the Right Broadband Speed

These days an internet connection is so integral to both our home and working life, that we can’t really get much done without a decent broadband connection. Having the right internet speed becomes even more crucial when you are working from home. Whether you are spending most of your time simply emailing clients and the office, or using more data heavy applications such as conference calling, you need a broadband connection that will be able to keep up with the demand.

After all, the better and faster your connection is, the more efficiently you will be able to work from your home office.

Do Away with Distractions

Whether you work from home because you are a freelancer, or are lucky enough to be employed at a company with a flexible working policy, you need to be fairly strict with yourself when it comes to using your home office as little distractions can often creep in. As most of us slip into homely habits when not in the office, setting up a separate space can help you do away with common distractions like putting on the TV, as one of the biggest issues with working from home is the distraction of being in your personal space itself.

Once you have your home office perfectly set up and ready to go, you can do away with unwelcome distractions like household pets, and set a clear boundary for anyone else in the home that would otherwise interrupt your working hours. This relatively simple act of creating a dedicated working space signals to everyone and yourself that while you are at home, you still have a clear space dedicated for work, separate from the areas where you unwind in your own time.

Set Yourself Up with the Right Tools

Just like a regular workspace, your home office will need the right equipment in order to fulfil its intended purpose. A desk and ergonomic chair are the bare minimum that you should have in your home office, but to truly make use of the space you’ll want to invest in a couple of other additions too. If the nature of your work entails a lot of paperwork then a printer, storage space, and filing equipment will all come in handy too.

Just be careful not to go overboard, as too much equipment can quickly begin to turn into unorganised clutter, leading to a less than an ideal workspace. It’s all about finding a happy medium that will allow you to be your most productive self.