Working at home is no longer reserved for freelancers and entrepreneurs. The pandemic has upended the world and forced countless employees to work from their home offices. During the initial months of the crisis, many people set up temporary work areas in their homes and hoped that the chaos would end soon and allow them to return to the office. Since it’s unclear when normalcy will return, your temporary office may need modifying to accommodate a longer haul. The following sections examine how you can create an ideal workspace at home.
Desks and Chairs
The folding tables that your family used for enjoying dinner in front of the television may have suited your needs for a couple of months, but for a semi-permanent workstation, the tables can leave you with aches and pains. The recommended height of a work desk is 29 inches, but depending on your size, you may need a desk that is slightly higher or shorter. You don’t have to spend a fortune to get a quality desk, but you need one that suits your needs. Old-fashioned wooden desks with nine drawers may be unnecessary for someone who spends most of their time on a computer, but if you favor the old designs, you’re likely to find something appealing at a second-hand retailer.
When you shop for chairs, it’s best to avoid the cheapest products. Since you need a chair that will support you for eight to twelve hours a day, you should find one that’s durable and ergonomic. Adjustable chairs with lumbar support and wheels are more comfortable than a rigid chair, and you can expect to spend between $150 and $300 to find a premium office model.
Recreation Area
When you’re setting up your workspace, it’s essential to find an area of your house where you can take breaks. Sometimes you have to take your mind off of work to clear your head, and if you take a breather in front of your computer, you cannot completely relax. At lunchtime, you can eat in the kitchen or outside on the patio to distance yourself from your work. Treat your home office like your company’s office, and you’ll realize how refreshing it is to take a break away from the job. You may have an attic, garage, or unused work shed on your property that can be converted into a personal gym. A short workout can invigorate you and prepare you for the rest of your workday. If you enjoy swimming, you can look into inground pools Santa Rosa Beach. Your family can enjoy the pool with you when you’re not working online but set aside a time each day for your work breaks. You can swim a few laps on your ten-minute break. Then, you can dive back into your online work refreshed and motivated.
Lighting
Since your online work is becoming less temporary, adequate lighting is a necessity. There are endless lighting configurations you can research, but most medical professionals and safety experts recommend using indirect lighting for your home office. Your room needs bright lights that will prevent eye strain, but the lights should not produce a glare on your computer screen. Adjustable lights that have an indirect configuration are ideal for working with multiple monitors, and you can use LEDs to reduce your power consumption and avoid frequent replacements. Another lighting option is to install smart bulbs. Although they are more expensive than standard LEDs, the smart bulb can be controlled by your voice. Without leaving your desk, you can instruct your smart hub to dim the lights or turn them off when you’re winding down.
Accessories
Your home office may not have the space to accommodate all of the accessories you rely on in a traditional office. To minimize the clutter around your workspace, you can use electronics that have Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Although some models are smaller than older versions, printers and fax machines are still bulky machines that are challenging to set up on a medium-sized work desk with dual monitors and a keyboard. The advantage of the newer fax and printer designs is their accessibility. The wireless models can be set up in another room away from your desk, and some units can print or fax remotely when you send an email from another location.
Whichever design you choose for your home office, the most critical factor to consider is your privacy. Distractions can interfere with your work, and your house may be full of family members, television screens, and looming chores. By separating your life at work and life at home, you can stay productive and enjoy your off time in peace.
