Feb 2019
Designing a Good Home Office
In recent years, more people have taken the option to work from home. Since you are not working in someone else’s building, you have free reign to design your home office any way you wish. You can choose the furniture you want to use, and you are free to lay everything out how you wish. This freedom can be a bit overwhelming, so use these tips and tricks to create a comfortable office layout that will help you get assignments done.
Choose the Right Room
Before you can furnish your new home office, you first need to decide where you want to set it up. Try moving into a space that has plenty of elbow room, so you can put lots of furniture in while still being able to move around freely. It is hard to stay focused when you cannot move around the room easily.
If you prefer peace and quiet, make sure your office is far away from any places where other people in your house can distract you. In addition, try to put your office into a room where you can look outside a window. Not only will this give you natural light while you work, but it also gives you something else to look at besides the walls.
There’s no shortage of ways to lay out your home workspace once you’ve purchased all the furniture you need.
Make Ergonomic Furniture a Priority
When you are designing any office layout, your top priority is to focus on setting everything up with ergonomics in mind. If you are not comfortable as you work, it will be nearly impossible to stay focused on the tasks at hand. As mentioned above, you have more control about how you can go about this, so shop for the ergonomic furniture that catches your interest.
Shop for an adjustable office chair that is built from comfortable materials, since you will be sitting for prolonged periods of time. Convert your current work desk into a sit-stand workstation, so you choose to sit down and stand up whenever you choose. Sitting or standing for too long can be bad for your health, so having this workstation can help you balance this out during the workday. The Mesh Back Work Chair from HON is an excellent option if you are looking for a good office chair. We also carry several products from Herman Miller, including the Aeron Chairs, that offer ergonomic features.
Get Good Lighting
As with any traditional work setting, having a good lighting setup is also crucial for your home office. Your eyes tend to strain when the room is too dark, so make sure your office gets plenty of light. As mentioned above, you can utilize natural light to cover any blind spots that overhead lights cannot reach. It might also be a good idea to set up a small lamp on your desk as well if you need some extra lighting.
Be careful though, because too much light can also strain your eyes. Avoid getting lightbulbs that are too strong for the room you are in. Be sure to angle your computer monitor so there is no glare bouncing off it. Staring at the glare from an overhead light can put extra strain on your eyes, and can damage your sight over prolonged periods of time.
Add in Personal Comforts
Since you do not have someone looking over you at home, you are free to set up your office in ways you could never do in a traditional office environment. You might not be able to put in a couch at a regular office, but at home you can do whatever you want. Bring in furniture and other decorations that make you feel comfortable and happy.
If you need to read through something in a book or on your laptop, get yourself a comfy chair to sit in so you are not just sitting at your desk all day, such as this lounge chair from Alera. Hang up some artwork, and place some plants around the room to liven the place up. It is your home office, so you are free to make it as comfortable as you please.
Just try not to get too comfortable; you still have work to do.