How to Set Up Your Work-from-home Office for Productivity

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Remote work has become a new reality for a large number of people. And there are certainly many advantages to this. For example, the flexibility to work whenever you want and wherever you are can be very appealing.

It's also an opportunity for companies to save money on office space, equipment, and other overhead by hiring employees who work remotely part or all of the time. But working from home isn't always easy to get used to at first; some things can negatively affect the quality of work. At home, you can be distracted by communicating with your family, watching movies or doing any other things that you can only allow yourself at home.

The lack of a properly equipped workspace can significantly reduce your productivity.

But it doesn't have to be that way. There are things you can do to improve your work-from-home office setup and make it as productive as possible.

Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your work from home experience.

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Although most people like to feel relaxed when they come back home after a whole day’s work, at-home working conditions require different standards of comfortability. You need to remember that both sitting in an uncomfortable chair or lying in bed watching movies can negatively impact your productivity.

Try not to use your bedroom as an office space if possible, because there are too many distractions in there. Instead of a bed or nightstand, buy yourself a nice work desk with a comfortable chair.

It is a good idea to have a separate work-only laptop and work-only PC, to avoid distractions from personal emails, social networks, etc. Just make sure that when at work, your devices are not set up for any other purposes than working. Physical desk timers can help you control your time and keep focus yet without adding much distraction to your work. Majority of time tracking solutions require a monthly subscription, which adds up. At the same time, TimeFlip's cube timer only asks for a one-time payment, while offering a completely free time logger app, which might suit most people better. A physical input device also reduces adaptation time and helps you figure out how to record track times at home.

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Work from home offices should be well lit, but natural light is the best alternative to the traditional fluorescent lighting of many offices. In addition, removing all unnecessary furniture can also add an extra benefit of making space for more natural light coming into your room/office through windows.

Even if you don’t mind piles of papers everywhere around your desk or pieces of abandoned clothes scattered on the floor, you should know that organized surroundings equal an organized mind. Only the necessary things on the desktop allow you to concentrate on work and not be distracted by anything else.

Colors and decor are other areas that you should pay attention to. It might sound like a complete waste of time, but actually, it can completely change your work mood. A bright color on the wall above your desk will make you feel more energetic and cheerful, while a pale one creates an impression of calmness and relaxation. You can choose a color palette that makes you feel good, find some inspiring ideas on the Internet, and design a perfect home office space that will represent you and your work.

For some people, the perfect working atmosphere is the complete absence of any sounds. Other people prefer to work listening to the ticking of the clock or the quiet conversation of colleagues. Therefore, when creating a home office, try to adjust the noise level according to your needs.

And don’t forget about the perfect temperature in your office. Don’t make it too hot or too cold — both ways will negatively affect your productivity and concentration.

Working at home means that you can set your office timings. So, it’s time to take advantage of some perks! Have some drinks near you and snacks on the table — this way, there will be no need to break your working flow.

If you’re worried about weight gain, keep the sugary stuff away and replace them with healthy food, bars, etc. But if you have a private space for all this food, go ahead and enjoy!

It is very important to have a dedicated place for work — working from home means that you have to be able to separate two different worlds: your personal and professional life. Make sure that this area doesn't contain anything else but all the necessary things for your work, such as computers, writing utensils, etc… And most importantly — put everything in its right place, so it will be easy for you to find what you need.

Be creative!