When the day pandemic was declared due to covid19 crisis, working professionals all over the world are asked to work from home until the COVID clouds get clear. Now, work from home is not really a new concept but doing it for a prolonged period of time is definitely going to be a challenge for many.

Most people prefer to work from the office because it gives them an exclusive space away from distractions which will help them to concentrate on their work and be productive. While working from home, there is no such space and the personal and professional tasks often get mixed up. It not only affects productivity but also increases stress.

The right way to tackle this problem is to have a workspace at home separated from your personal space. Not all have the space or budget to set up a home office but small tweaks and changes can itself bring lots of difference in the way one work at home.

In recent times, many companies are considering to permanently go for work from home option as it saves the money spent on office spaces. So it is the right time to make changes at your home to have a perfect workspace.

Choosing a perfect space

The first step in setting up a space for work at home is finding the right place. Here are the few options to consider, 

  1. The space you are choosing to setup should not disturb the existing ambience of the house. So try converting an old wardrobe into an office or consider utilising the space under the stairs. 
  2. If you have a spare room/ guest room, you can utilise that as your office space. You can also ask your colleagues or friends to share the space with you, of course with proper precautions. This way, you can save some money by sharing the electricity and internet expenses. 
  3. Do you have an attic with enough space? Why not convert it into an office space! This works great if you are in a creative job which needs a peaceful place where you put your thoughts in order without being disturbed. Make sure to have good light and ventilation at the attic as per your comfort. 
  4.  Collab with nature and increase productivity. You can set up your workspace at your backyard or at your front porch if you have enough space. Cool breeze, shades from trees, birds chirping can definitely reduce the work stress but make sure you have provisions to protect the space from sun and rain.

Invest in the right accessories

Sitting on the couch or bed and working might look a simple solution but it can have terrible effect on your health. It affects your posture, causes back ache and it is also the invasion of your personal space. After a while, your mind gets confused whether you are using this space for working or relaxing that it can affect your sleep cycle. Therefore, it is important to invest in the right accessories while setting up your home office space. 

  1. The basic thing to invest in is a desk. The size of the desk totally depends on the kind of work you do. For certain jobs only a laptop is more than enough but some professionals need multiple monitors with other accessories like keyboard, mouse etc. So keep your requirement in mind before deciding on the size of the desk. If your working from home situation is temporary, you can always rent a desk instead of buying one to save money. 
  2. Before investing in a chair, see whether you are comfortable in using the already existing chairs in the house. If not, invest in a ergonomic chair which can give you a proper back support for prolonged working hours. 
  3. Lighting is something which is often ignored while setting up a home office. Not every room/space gets enough natural light that you might need to invest in some artificial lights to avoid strain to your eyes and to work comfortably. Most of the times, a simple table lamp can solve the purpose. It is cheaper and won’t occupy much space as well. But again, choosing a light depends on how much natural light you are getting and the already existing artificial light at your space so decide accordingly.

Small changes, and greater impact

Some small changes you make in your working environment can make bigger impact. Here are some small tweaks you can do to achieve a productive working environment. 

  1. Make sure to have your wifi/internet connection near to your work area. Having poor network connection can affect your productivity. If your internet connection is fixed in an area that cannot be changed, you can buy a signal booster to get good signal. 
  2. It’s better to have enough power socket near your desk. If you are using an extension box or multiple cables try using Velcro tapes to manage the cables 
  3. You can add small elements such as a plant or a fish tank to have a relaxed working environment. You can also try replicating your office desk at home with similar elements to increase productivity. 

Work from home seems to be the new normal. The faster we adapt to this new change, more good we get out of it. Hope this blog post helps you to achieve that.