Your Remote Workspace: 5 Questions to Ask Yourself When Setting Up a Home Office
Photo by Collov Home Design on Unsplash
Written by V. Kulikow
Working from home can be ideal for many, but for others the distractions available in the house are now competing for your precious productive hours. Every individual will have a different set of problems and restraints when creating a remote workspace, but there are a few questions every person should ask themself before setting up their home office. The answers to these questions will help you shape a space that minimizes distractions and allows you to be productive. From 9-5 office positions to freelance web design, setting up a remote workspace in the home will have shared elements no matter your profession or outside demands.
1. What are your typical work tasks?
The needs of an administrator will differ from that of a university professor. List the tasks you have to complete in a week, everything from typing reports to attending meetings. This list will tell you what you need to support your work in your home office like software, a headset, or maybe a larger monitor.
2. Is there a room or a nook in your home that can be used as a work space?
Ideally, a separate room will keep you free from household distractions and offer a bit of privacy. If that’s not possible, look around your house for a nook in the corner of a room, someplace you can tuck your work away. And if the kitchen table is the only area with enough space to complete work, then invest in a small roll-away cart to organize all the items you need for your work. This way a separation from work and home can still be made. When the work day is over, it’s important to close the home office door or roll the home office cart away.
3. Is your furniture comfortable? Is the lighting good? Is there a lot of noise?
You will be spending a lot of time in your designated remote work area. Now is the time to invest in items that make your day easy to work through. Check your desk and chair to see if you are able to work without straining your neck or arms while working. You might need a different height desk and/or a better computer chair. If the lighting is harsh or too low, invest in a stand-alone lamp. Make sure to stay away from fluorescent light bulbs, which are hard on the eyes. Finally, if your home office is near a window overlooking a street, invest in noise blocking headphones and put heavy drapes over the windows to reduce noise pollution.
4. Do you have children? Parents who need elder care?
Just because you’re working from home doesn’t mean you can take up additional caregiving activities. Treat your home work days as if they were taking place in your office building. This means keeping any outside caregivers in place like the babysitter who picks up the kids from school or the home health aide who sits with your parents until your work day is finished. Also, let family members know that your workday isn’t over when they are in the house. Ask them to keep the noise level down. If they can’t or you have important meetings on a specific day, schedule your kids in an after school program or ask the sitter to take them to the library.
5. Are you organized?
At the office there are structures in place for keeping files and communications organized. In the home office, you might have to create new systems to track your work files and also to keep them safe. All client reports or other sensitive materials should be kept in a locked file cabinet if you have paper copies. This will keep the files private and safe from accidental spillage of drinks or from becoming a child’s coloring page. Ask co-workers how they organize their files to get more ideas.
Spending your day in your home office can be as productive as being at the physical office building. Sometimes more. To make sure you’re not overworking, keep track of the clock and give yourself small breaks like you would at the in-person office. This way you’ll get enough movement and not become a slave to your laptop. Set a timer or use an app to track the amount of time you’re at your desk. At the end of the week review your hours and try to balance your day. You should not be working more hours than you would if you were at the physical office building. With balance, your home office time should become as productive as your in-person time and your free-time yours alone.
posted on: 25 April, 2022