There’s been a huge increase in working from home lately, but are you doing it the right way? Our homes weren’t originally built for business, but for comfort and relaxation. Therefore, it can be difficult merging those two halves of our lives. Still, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible.
Unsurprisingly, many companies plan to make working from home the new normal, so it’s important that you make sure your home is equipped with everything you need. From Merv 11 air filters to the best lighting arrangements, there’s a lot to consider when getting your work area just right.
So, here are some nifty little tips to help you create the perfect home working space.
Pick Your Room
Before you outfit your workspace, you need to choose your workspace. Depending on your domestic responsibilities, it could be that you need to be downstairs if you need to keep an eye on kids or pets. If you’re seeking a truly solitary station to stay focused, working upstairs in a guest or spare room is probably more appropriate.
It may be that the nature of your work demands you to make considerable adjustments to your home. Extensions and conversions aren’t uncommon when making the shift, and you may be entitled to sizeable tax breaks here, getting a deduction on your state return. Be smart, choose sensibly, and you’ll encounter few problems.
Make Sure You Get The Temperature Right
Whatever room you picked for your workspace, you’ll be in there a lot. Small rooms can get stuffy, while larger rooms can get quite chilly. Therefore, a way to control the temperature would ensure you stay comfortable, which also means that you will remain happy and productive throughout the working day.
Having a high-quality HVAC system can control the temperature across your entire house, including your workroom. However, occasionally you’ll need to change the filters when they inevitably get clogged up, as if this is left unattended it can block the airflow of your machine. Some are better than others, but choosing a type of filter that gathers lots of particles and keeps your air clean, such as MERV 11 air filters, will help you to stay comfortable all year round.
MERV 11 air filters from Filterbuy will allow your unit to operate at its full potential. Keep a batch of them close by for easy use, and you can also set up a recurring order with the company, so everything runs like clockwork. If you want to find out more about Filterbuy’s MERV 11 air filters. Choosing these filters is an ideal way to keep your workspace fresh and at the perfect temperature.
Stationery and Equipment
Your work will require you to have many different tools for your trade, whether they’re in the form of software or literal, tangible instruments. You’ll know what you need here better than anyone else but run a quick itinerary check and gather all the apparatuses that you need. If you’re bringing in any larger objects, run some measurements to ensure everything will fit.
There are a few common items you will need regardless of your line of work; pens and papers, folders, shelves, chairs, desks and so forth. Double-check that you’ve gathered all that you need so you don’t slow things down for your colleagues.
If you’re working on a computer, you’ll soon find yourself overwhelmed with numerous tabs and programs open. After all, there’s emails, Microsoft word, Google searches for research, company cloud servers, and likely more too. To be better organized here, spend a few dollars on another monitor or two, and that way, you’ll have two or three screens you can move seamlessly between.
Work/Life Balance
Working from home certainly presents its own set of challenges. It can be isolating and rather lonely at times, particularly if you live alone and the Zoom calls are few and far between. It’s quite common to feel miserable from time to time in this situation, but there’s a lot you can do to ward off these particular blues.
For example, because you are outfitting your own station, you can inject it with some of your personality. Paint the walls your favorite color, hang some fairy lights, decorate the shelves with books that inspire you, or have speakers beside you that gently play the tunes of your choice. These little inflections in your work area will just help you stay sane if the loneliness ever gets to you and ensure those distracting feelings don’t stick around for long.
Natural Light
Your own lamps and lights can be charming and quaint, but they can’t really substitute for natural light in the long term. The sun will provide you with plenty of light and warmth, and just help remind you that there is a living, breathing world outside. Make sure you open curtains and windows for most of the working day and bring some of the outdoors indoors.
Natural light has many positive health affects on you too. It boosts Vitamin D and wards off the winter blues very well. You need to be the best you there is when you’re working, and the healthier you are the better your professional performance will be. Use natural light whenever possible, and you’ll feel like a million bucks throughout the day.
