Working from home has grown massively in popularity over recent years, due in no small part to the COVID-19 pandemic, when many of us have no choice but to work from home. But if you want your working from home journey to be both comfortable and productive then establishing a working from home office setup that works for you is essential.
Whilst many people assume working from home means they can work from the comfort of their own sofa, or even from bed, if you’re planning to work from home in the long term then you’ll need a proper office set up with a desk, chair, and all the right equipment to perform your job role efficiently. Here are some top tops for the perfect working from home office setup:
Comfort is King
Not all office chairs are created equally. Whilst grabbing a chair from the dining room might work as a short-term fix, not using the right office equipment for you won’t do your back health any favours. Instead, you should invest in an ergonomically designed office chair that will support your back and improve your posture, even when used for long periods of time. An office setup that looks good will be important for your mental health, but the comfort and design of your setup will be vital for your physical health, so it’s important to get it right. A good ergonomic office chair should have the following features:
- An adjustable height mechanism
- Adjustable armrests and backrest so that your chair can be moved to suit your posture
- Built-in lumbar support to maintain back health
- A 360-degree swivel base
Location, Location, Location
Where will you be putting your home office? If you have a spare or empty room then choosing a spot for your home office is likely to be easy but if you don’t have a huge area of free space in your home then you may have to be creative when it comes to carving out a space for your home office. Do you have a room that has a natural alcove? Or perhaps a room that is in a low traffic part of your home? The best home office setups should be somewhere quiet and should have a space that you can dedicate to a purpose-built home office setup.
If you do need to set up your home office in an existing room then consider investing in a privacy divider: these are screens that sit on the floor and will help you to ‘close the door’ on your workspace, and on the rest of your family if they are at home during the working day. The key is to think outside the box when choosing the right location for your working from home office setup.
Choose the Right Desk
Just like choosing the right office chair, it is also important to choose the right desk for your working from home office setup. Your desk can have a significant impact on your back health, and sitting at a desk that is either too tall or too short for your height can lead to aches and pains, and other long-term health issues. Your desk should prioritise your comfort, but it should also fit your space and your workflow: if you work with two screens, for example, you might wish to consider a double-layered desk.
If you spend a lot of time at your desk during the working day, then you may wish to invest in a standing desk. Whilst these are not commonplace in many offices, they are a great choice for homeworkers who want to stretch their legs and maintain their mobility throughout the working day. These ergonomic height-adjustable desks work with you and can be used at both sitting or standing height at the touch of a button. Research has shown that standing desks are much better for your back health and can even help traditionally sedentary office workers to reduce their body weight.
Ditch the Wires
There’s nothing more frustrating than tripping over wires every time you turn in your home office, particularly if you are working in a particularly small office space. Even if you have an excellent Wi-fi system, you will still be reliant on wires to charge your laptop and your phone, not to mention to operate your printer, shredder, and any other office equipment you rely on throughout the working day. The solution? Think about cord management systems when planning your working from home office setup. It might not seem like a significant aspect of home office organisation, but you will be amazed at how frustrating it is if you don’t get your cord management right. Cord ties and cord organisers will be vital. And on the subject of wires, before you set up your home office, you should ensure that your chosen location has enough power outlets to plug in all those wires.
Finally, don’t forget to check your Wi-Fi strength in your chosen work from home location. Test your router to make sure the connection in every location that you will want to work from home: this includes not only your home office but also your sofa and even your kitchen table (if you want to check your emails whilst eating your lunchtime sandwich!) An office space that looks and feels good is important, but without a good and strong Wi-Fi connection, it would be largely unusable.
Conclusion
You can set up a home office almost anywhere, but a good home office should be stylish, functional and ergonomically designed. The right home office workspace will support your ability to work and focus on your long-term back health, ensuring that your comfort is maintained. Ideally, a long-term working from home office space should be in a separate room in your home, but if you don’t have a separate room available, then don’t worry! Simply invest in an affordable room divider and set up your own dedicated small working space in the room that best suits your needs.
