Creating the perfect office space is an important skill for anyone who's working from home. Whether you run a home business, work as a freelancer, or operate a remote workstation for a multi-national, managing your space helps to decrease your stress levels and improve your productivity. From making a plan and buying furniture to using your wall space and establishing work zones, let's look at how you can make the perfect office at home.
The perfect office is clean and tidy, with messy spaces linked to inefficiencies and procrastination. Instead of making excuses for your unorganised habits, it's important to be pro-active. Good office management is not just about improving your working environment, it's about enhancing your state of mind and improving your performance. Organization is key, so start with an audit to see what needs to be done. It's important to create long-term goals, medium-term plans, and immediate actions with enough power to make a difference.
List all of your office equipment, from your technology devices and furniture to your pens and pencils. It's important to sort out these belongings based on what's essential to your space and important to your workflow. It's not enough for something to look good in your space, it needs to have a positive effect on how you work and create value throughout the day. Furniture takes up most of the space in your office, so purchase a few items that really work for your room. Along with size and shape, it's important to think about ergonomic features and storage.
Whether you're starting a new home office or improving your existing space, it's important to prioritise your stuff. Get rid of unnecessary items, including old computers, broken printers, and old paper records. If you need long-term storage for compliance or legal reasons, dedicate a corner or buy a new filing cabinet. Paper is responsible for lots of office clutter, so minimize it wherever you can. From industry magazines to bills and documents, recycle what you can and digitise wherever possible. Signing up for e-statements and digital subscriptions is a great way to cut down on the mess.
Using your wall space is important when you're designing a small home office. Instead of using your desk for absolutely everything, try buying a whiteboard to create lists and present ideas throughout the week. Lots of critical tasks can be moved to your wall space, from calendars and to-do lists to contact information and appointments. The perfect home office is not just about productivity, however, it's also important to feel at home in your space. Photos are a great way to add a personal touch, with ornaments and artwork also able to brighten up any room.
The perfect office space is about organisation and inspiration. You need to create somewhere that feels like home, but also somewhere that helps you to be more productive. Establishing work zones is a great idea, with micro-areas within your room a great way to organise your mind and manage the tasks that define your working day. From your main desk area to your chair, printer, and storage spaces, it's important to put things in the most appropriate places based on frequency of use and ease of access. Once you have a good working space, be honest with yourself about its limitations and don't be afraid to make changes over time.
