Whether you are running a small business from home or telecommuting a corporate office, working from home offers a lot of benefits. You can transform a room in your home into a working space that enhances comfort and efficiency.
In a home office, comfort is definitely important; however, you need to ensure that your office environment separates the rest of the things going on in the house from your workspace. Before you design your home office, ask yourself the following important questions:
- What is the purpose of the office space?
- Will clients or colleagues be visiting the space?
- What type of material do I need to use/ store in the office?
- How much time will I be spending in the office?
- Will I be making video conference calls?
Set Up Your Office for Success
Once you have decided what you will be using the space for, you can design your office area accordingly. Here are a few things to take into account when setting up a home office:
Choose an appropriate room. You may not have a lot of choices when it comes to choosing a specific space. If you are fortunate enough to have a guest room, basement or outside room, you may want to take advantage of this as opposed to squeezing in your office in the living room or dining area because you need to limit all distractions.
Keep your office organised. Although this may seem like an obvious tip, keeping your home office free of clutter is not as easy as it seems. You may find other items around your home end up in your office. Make sure you make a commitment to keeping your office free from internal and external clutter by not allowing any non-related items to be put into your home office.
Install office storage solutions. There are many storage solutions available at your deposal but you need to ensure that you choose the ones that maximise your available space, enhance the aesthetics of your office and fit into your overall room size and shape. To enhance the aesthetics of your office, consider using decorative melamine faced board as panelling to hide storage areas or to create shelving and cabinets.
Install a large work surface. Your office worktop should be big enough to enable maximum productivity. Consider a custom-made office worktop, which can be created with BisonBoard. To make the work surface suit your office design, you can prime, paint, print on, veneer and laminate the surface.
Consider the technology you need. What devices will help you function more efficiently in your office space? You may need to install or upgrade your home internet or phone line, especially if you are going to making a lot of calls or faxes, or using the internet. Also make sure you have other things you need, such as a multifunction printer, scanner, etc. to enable smooth business processes.
Make your office is ergonomically friendly. Consider safe, comfortable seating, a well-aligned desk and computer set up and appropriate lighting to prevent headaches, eye deterioration and other injuries.
Take advantage of natural light and, if need be, purchase additional lamps to ensure sufficient lighting; this will prevent headaches associated with eyestrain.
Add a personal touch. Efficiency is the main purpose of putting thought into the design of your home office; however, you can personalise the space to create an aspiring area that you feel absolutely comfortable in – it is, after all, your personal space.
Also, make sure you have a comfy space where you can read, think or enjoy a cup of coffee, still keeping the overall office design professional, especially if you will be receiving clients or colleagues in the office.
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