Working from home is now the case for so many people and, even as we are starting to see the end of Covid restrictions, this looks to carry on for quite a while longer. This is why it is so important to have not just a space that can double as a work station but to have your own dedicated home office.
The perfect home office is a work-friendly space that aids your productivity and focus but can also help to boost the value of your home. Companies such as Spring, who offer free property valuations, have said time and time again that having a dedicated working space in your home can notably increase your value as the demand for a home-office is now higher than ever..
Working from home long-term requires you to have a high-quality and suitable environment. With that, there are some essentials that will help to transform your home office into the perfect working area.
Suitable space
To start, you need to ensure that you have enough space not just for a desk and chair but also to move around. Think of a normal office; you can get up and walk around, sit down elsewhere and have a coffee break if needs must. Having this freedom and opportunity to move around will be invaluable and help you to avoid feeling claustrophobic down the line.
Computer
Getting the right machine can really improve your productivity. If you work best from a laptop, get one that offers support for a secondary monitor: you will have the choice of working across multiple windows but still have the freedom of picking it up and changing your scenery. Don’t be afraid of splashing out for a bit more (a better processor, more RAM etc.) as the difference in performance will be noticable.
A desktop computer is built to handle anything. While it does not give you the same freedoms as a laptop, it may do a better job of recreating that office feel. You should consider it an investment rather than a flashy purchase as you are buying it for the long-term future, not just for the next few weeks.
Desk
Desks now come in all different shapes and sizes. Some with built in storage, some with attached shelving units, some with adjustable heights. A home office desk should be simple but accommodating. Standing desks are becoming the more preferred model in part due to their versatility but also due to the reported reduction in back pains.Your home office should be comfortable and come with all the freedom to enable you to stretch your body. Equally, there is nothing wrong with a desk that is little more than a large plank of wood and four legs.
High-speed internet access
Internet access is essential – maybe even more so than a desk and chair. For those working online, efficiency is what matters most and reliable and fast broadband connection will do it best. You can always connect your machine via a Wi-Fi router and enjoy good internet service that way but a dedicated line using an ethernet cable is considerably faster and much more stable. An important note: if you are hoping to use an ethernet cable, make sure your machine allows it or that you have the right adapters to plug in.
Office chair
Much like your laptop or computers, you should consider your office chair to be an investment. The long-term impact of a chair far exceeds the long-term usage of a trusty computer as you are not just thinking of how you will feel during work hours, but rather how you will feel any time you are not in your chair too. It should be comfortable and ergonomic to support your posture and general health. If any purchase for your home office is a purchase for your future, it is this one.
Files cabinets and storage
Even though in the 21st century, the majority of what we do is digital, storage and filing cabinets are still widely used and still exceptionally useful. Notebooks, handouts, scrap pieces of paper and mail you might have delivered are best kept under lock and key in a functional and practical filing cabinet as the alternative is stacking things in a mess on your desk or floor.
Adequate lighting
For a home office that feels comfortable yet productive, you need to make sure that you are lit well enough. Much like a chair providing long-term support for your back, good lighting can help you to avoid headaches, eye-strain or even permanent eye damage as time goes by. This isn’t just for working though, think of the amount of video calls you will need to attend; colleagues and potential clients will want to be able to see you.A box light behind your camera will make your Zoom calls look more professional and help you stand out.
In addition to this, changing the bulbs and improving your lighting fixtures is one of the best ways to quickly boost the value of your home – ideal if you are looking to sell your house quickly.
Setting up a home office can be exciting though it is challenging. To simplify the work, the above-mentioned items can act as a checklist and will greatly help you to create the perfect working from home set up.
