I, Mark Roemer Oakland, believe that it is important to design your home office strategically to maximize your productivity and comfort while working from home. Now, if you have never worked from home before, it can be difficult to determine everything that you need to build your ideal home office. Generally, you need to focus on getting the correct office equipment and choosing a space that helps to eliminate distractions so that you can maintain peak focus while working.

Tips & Tricks

Here are a few tips you can follow to build your ideal home office for the first time:

1. Choose a dedicated room – You should always build your home office in a dedicated room that is only reserved for office work. This would allow you to work in peace and offer you the privacy you require when working on important projects or attending client calls.

Ideally, you would want to choose a room or part of the house that has a humidity between thirty and fifty percent and set the temperature at 64 °F (18 °C) to create a comfortable work environment where you can boost your productivity.

If you have to hold frequent client meetings in your home office, it makes sense to choose a room that is close to the front entrance of the house or a dedicated studio that is separate from the house.

2. Consider the lighting – According to studies, working in a space that is illuminated with ample natural light can help improve productivity by up to forty percent and reduce the risk of eyestrain and headaches. Thus, ensure you don’t cover the windows with blinds when working in your home office to allow plenty of natural light to enter the room.

Additionally, you would want to invest in high-quality ambient lights that offer cold light during nighttime to help promote alertness. Warm lighting is not suitable for working since it promotes relaxation and sleepiness.

3. Invest in ergonomic office furniture and equipment – Working for long hours while sitting at your computer desk can negatively affect your health, especially if the setup is not ergonomic. In fact, it can also cause health problems such as back pain, shoulder strain, elbow pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and more.

Thus, ensure you invest in a high-quality ergonomic chair where you can sit and work for long hours at a stretch without feeling uncomfortable. Still, it is important to take a break from sitting for a few minutes every hour to re-energize yourself.

It is also important to choose proper equipment such as keyboards and mouse that comes with comfortable wrist support which allows you to type or click without any discomfort. Mechanical keyboards are the best option if you have to type a lot since they offer great typing comfort and feedback.

Finally, it is also crucial to arrange all the furniture and equipment so that they are at the appropriate height and distance to offer you maximum comfort. You can also opt for a height-adjustable standing desk if you want.

4. Fill the space with a few green plants – Adding a few green plants in your home office is a nice way to infuse it with a hint of freshness and maintain good air quality. Ensure you select plants that are easy to maintain such as dracaena, spider plant, Boston fern, Ficus, and more.

Although you can also add an air purifier in your home office, green plants are more cost-efficient and help to elevate the decor of the home office space.

5. Ensure you have the wire management handled properly – Proper wire management is incredibly important if you want to maintain a good office aesthetic. In fact, if you don’t manage the wires around the computer table, they can become a tripping hazard and accumulate dust and dirt that will become difficult to clean later. Fortunately, you can use zip ties and a few clamps to effectively manage the wires around your computer table.

6. Subscribe to a high-speed internet plan – A slow internet connection can disrupt the flow of your work and decrease your productivity. Not being able to complete your projects on time due to a slow internet connection that causes frequent buffering or loading web pages slowly can be an incredibly frustrating experience.

In fact, we recommend you switch your internet connection to at least 100 Mbps and invest in a high-quality Wi-Fi router, especially if you are using multiple devices such as a PC, laptop, smartphone, and more.

7. Create a separate space for brainstorming – If you need to utilize your home office for creative projects, it is a good idea to create a separate area for brainstorming to allow your creative juices to flow freely.

For instance, you can hang a whiteboard or pinboard on the wall, bring in a relaxing couch, or keep a desk with your notebook, diaries, colorful pens, and more.

8. Infuse the home office with some personality – Nobody wants to work in a dull and boring office space. Fortunately, you can decorate your home office as you want to make it a more inviting space where you can work without feeling like a robot.

Generally, it is a good idea to paint the walls of your home office in shades of orange, yellow, and red since they make the space feel energetic and warm. You can hang a few art pieces that help to motivate you while working. You could even hang a picture of your role model, an empowering quote, or even any medals, certificates, and professional achievements that help you to get in the mood for working every day.

Conclusion

I, Mark Roemer Oakland, suggest you maintain fixed working hours even when you are working from home to maintain a good work-life balance. Ensure you come to an agreement with your family members so that they do not disturb you during your work hours. This will allow you to work in peace and prevent distractions that can cost you valuable productive hours.