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February 20, 2023

5 Tips for Making the Transition to Working from Home

Making the transition to working from home can be a daunting experience, especially if you have previously worked in an office full-time. Adjusting to the new environment and routine of a work-from-home job can be challenging, but with the right tools and guidance, the process can be made much smoother.

1) Set Up a Dedicated Workspace

When transitioning from an in-office job to working from home, it is important to create a dedicated workspace. This is the space you will be using to get your work done and should be comfortable and free of distractions. Make sure you have a comfortable chair, a desk with enough space to spread out your work, and adequate lighting. If possible, try to keep your workspace away from where you relax and sleep. This will help you stay productive and focused. Additionally, make sure you have the necessary tools for work: a laptop, printer, charger, etc. Having all of these items in one dedicated area will make it easier to stay organized and efficient.

2) Get Dressed for Work

Putting on clothes that are comfortable but still semi-professional helps signal to your brain that it’s time to start working. This doesn’t mean you have to dress to the nines every day; just throw on a nice shirt or blouse and some comfortable pants or a skirt. You don’t want to feel too relaxed at home that you can’t focus on the task at hand.

3) Set Office Hours

Establishing regular office hours will help you stay on task and provide a consistent structure for your day.  Creating a schedule that works for you is key. Think about what hours work best for you and your family, as well as any clients you may have. Be sure to factor in lunch breaks, rest time, and other tasks that need to be completed each day.  By setting office hours and sticking to them, you can help ensure your productivity is maximized. You may also want to consider setting aside specific times each week to reach out to colleagues or clients. Having weekly check-ins or video conferences with coworkers can help boost morale and stay connected. 

4) Take Breaks

It is easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of work, so be sure to set aside time to step away from your computer and relax. Taking a break can help you reset, refocus, and restore energy levels so that you can stay productive and efficient while working from home. A few ideas for taking a break include taking a short walk, doing some stretching, listening to music, or even just getting away from your workspace for a few minutes. You may also want to make a schedule for yourself with dedicated break times to ensure that you are not overworking yourself. 

5) Connect with Co-Workers

First and foremost, take advantage of online communication tools like Zoom, Slack, and Skype to keep in touch with your team. Scheduling regular check-ins with your coworkers will help you to stay up-to-date on projects and ensure everyone is on the same page. You can also make use of collaborative tools like Google Docs and Trello to track progress on different tasks. These tools make it easy for team members to collaborate even when they are working from different locations. Finally, consider setting up virtual “water cooler” chats or happy hours with your coworkers. It’s important to maintain good relationships with your team, so make sure to set aside time each week to connect and socialize with your coworkers. Doing so will ensure that you are able to create a productive work environment even when working remotely.

Have you already made the transition to working from home? Share your best tips with us on how you made the transition! Just starting to transition but still have questions? Reach out to our community and ask for help!

 

 

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October 25, 2021

Four Powerful Habits to Boost Productivity and Get More Done Each Day

As moms, we understand the power of habits. We develop habits to help our families keep moving. We encourage our children to develop good habits as they grow. The habits we depend on make it possible for us to keep many balls in the air while guiding our children to adulthood with support and direction. 

When you work from home, habits can serve the same purpose in your professional life. Key productivity habits can help make your days easier.

Over the years, the HireMyMom team has observed the habits of highly productive and organized work-from-home moms. Here, we share their habits with you.

 

Set Goals Early and Often

In Stephen Covey’s famous and bestselling book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, he advises “to begin with the end in mind.” In our experience, starting with that view when approaching your work from a home office can help move the needle on productivity. Having a clear destination helps to keep you on track. Knowing your goals enables you to make decisions that support your overall objectives.

We tend to think of goal setting as an annual affair. While it’s true that a yearly cycle can help you develop longer-term goals, one habit we often see in successful work-at-home moms is that they set goals regularly and often in multiple time increments.

For example, if you have a big project due in 30 days, finishing it could be a goal for the month. Breaking the project down into smaller weekly and daily tasks provides shorter-term goals that can make your work more productive and help guide your decisions around the actions that will help you realize your goals. 

For best results, write your goals down. Research shows you are 42% more likely to achieve goals if you write them down.

 

Make a List

There’s nothing better than creating a to-do list and then crossing items off as you complete them. And, for moms who work at home, regularly creating a to-do list is an essential tool and an important habit.

There are many ways to make a list–you can use pen and paper, dash off an online list, or use a phone-based app. The important thing here is to take all the tasks rattling around in your brain and dump them into one place that’s easy to access and quick to read.

Here’s a low-tech approach we often see used and many find effective.

  • Treat yourself to a fun or pretty notebook and designate it for keeping all your lists and notes together.
  • Write your long-term goals on the inside cover and any pertinent information that you need regularly but don’t always remember on the back cover.
  • Draw a line down the middle of a fresh page each day. At the top, write “work” on top of the left column and “personal” on the right side. 
  • Assign tasks into each category. This method differentiates personal and professional tasks, which helps you be more efficient when you sit down to work.
  • Fill in the tasks that you aim to achieve that day, using your goals as a guide. 
  • Place the most important jobs at the top of the list or put a star next to them, so they draw your attention.
  • Enjoy crossing items off as you complete them.

 

Establish a Routine

As a mom, you know that babies and children thrive on comfortable routines. As a work-from-home mom, a routine can help you feel a greater sense of control over your life and time. Knowing what comes next and when makes much of your day easier because you don’t have to stop and think about each step. Instead, you fall into a daily rhythm that helps you thrive.

Many work-related routines fall away when you work from home–there’s no commute, you don’t have to get dressed or pack a lunch. While that has a beautiful quality, it also eliminates powerful signals to your brain that it’s time to work.

As a work-from-home mom, create new routines to set the stage for productivity. Here are some ideas to establish a routine:

  • Set specific work hours and honor them as much as you can. 
  • Batch your work by dividing your day into increments for doing certain things. For example, start each day by checking your email for 30 minutes. Then move on to a block of time dedicated to project-based tasks.
  • Use a timer to help keep you on track. For example, if you designate 30 minutes for email, use a timer to help ensure that email responses don’t eat up a block of time set for another task. As your routine falls into place, you won’t need the timer as much because you will feel the transition times as they approach–that’s part of the power of a routine.
  • Set aside break times to connect with a colleague through slack or gchat or walk around for a few minutes–just like you would in the office.

If you find Mondays particularly difficult, check out these tips to start your work week off right.

 

Develop Rituals

It’s tough to transition out of mom mode and right into professional mode without taking a few minutes to reset. 

When you work outside the home, preparing for the day and completing your commute are rituals that help you with the transition. But, when your commute is just a few steps down the hall, you lose that time and process.

Developing a few short rituals to ease the transition can make you feel fully present as you start your workday and can help increase your productivity. Here are a few suggestions to help create rituals to begin your workday:

  • Pour a cup of coffee.
  • Sip it as your walk around the block.
  • Listen to a short podcast related to your work.
  • Check your goals as you sit down at your desk to ground yourself in the day’s tasks.

At the end of each workday, rituals can help you transition back into mom mode. When you wrap up your workday, try:

  • Closing any open documents on your desktop.
  • Review your to-do list and cross out any completed tasks.
  • Make a few notes for the next day.
  • Close your eyes for two minutes and reflect on the day. Try to leave any stress behind.
  • Shut your office door, physically or metaphorically, as you leave work for the day

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August 26, 2019

Parenting vs Working: How to Create Work-Life Balance in Your Home-Based Business

Guest Post by Justin Chapman

Becoming a Virtual Assistant is often a choice made by parents who never want to miss the big moments in their children’s lives. One of the biggest struggles parents will face as a virtual professional is work-life balance. Often, as a Virtual Assistant or Virtual Professional, when you have a home office, you can easily get caught up working long hours because of your focus. As a professional, you want to get work done and saying to yourself “just another 10 minutes”, can quickly turn into another two hours. Conversations with your spouse can quickly turn into conversations about your new client or the project you are working on. Following the steps below can help you create work-life balance in your home-based business.

Schedule Your Hours

Flexibility in your hours is an attractive piece of becoming an at-home professional, but sometimes in that, you have to make sacrifices. These sacrifices can be made in your personal or professional life. If you have a tight deadline, you may have to sacrifice watching your child’s soccer game. If you can’t miss your mother’s birthday, then a couple of hours of work may have to be done early one morning. Knowing your schedule at least a week in advance will make you more productive.

Whether you are taking care of children, or visiting your parents, entrepreneurs will always have their business in the back of their minds. Having a schedule will create work-life balance. A schedule assists in reducing stress; knowing that you have eight uninterrupted hours tomorrow to get work done allows you to enjoy the night before with family or friends. Make sure you take advantage of a schedule, and put as much as you possibly can in it.

Design a Home Office

If you do not have a spare office with a door, you do not have to be a contractor to build one. Purchasing “hush panels” or office boards to section off even a small work area can make a massive difference. Many Virtual Assistants set up a computer in a multi-purpose room. It is important to have that room act as an office during your working hours, or to have your station sectioned off from the room.

Conversations about work need to happen in your office, even with your spouse. Don’t allow work-talk to take over every conversation in the house. If you want advice from your spouse or a friend on a project you are working on, bring them into your office. Ask questions where you can take notes or show them what you have created already. Practicing this will build a sense of separation and create work-life balance.

Get Organized and Set Goals

This is one of the best tips to help you answer the question: how to create work-life balance in your home-based business. If you have ever taken any at-home post-secondary courses, such as CanScribe’s Virtual Assistant Program, you know how important setting goals can be. When you have a project, you have one ultimate goal: complete the project.

Creating smaller goals will help you complete the project effectively. It can also help you schedule your time around your family. Make sure you know what goals you have and how long each task will take. Rather than just “doing work”, you are working effiectively and not wasting time. Similar to knowing your schedule, you are able to reduce stress and enjoy time with your family and friends because you know what needs to be done, how long it will take, and when you are working on it.

Creating a work-life balance is important to success both as a family member, and as a professional. Scheduling your hours, building an office, and keeping organized can help become successful at both. Focus on your family while keeping attention on your work priorities. These tips help show you how to create work-life balance in your home-based business.

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June 25, 2018 0 Comments

4 Tips for a Home Office Renovation On a Budget

When you work from home, your home office is a space you’ll spend a lot of time in, so it’s important that it works for you.  Whether you’re just starting out from home, or you need to renovate, you’ll need to make the space your own.

Renovating any room in your house can be quite a process, and it’s usually not inexpensive either. Read along for some of our tips for renovation on a budget!

Repurpose

Repurpose furniture with a fresh, new coat of paint, or utilize unused items from other rooms.  Can that table behind the couch be used as a table for your printer? Take what you have a make it work!

You can take a boring chair, add some fabric, and make it new again.  A little bit of paint or fabric can make a world of difference. If you have a sofa in your office, add some fresh pillows or a throw.  You can also repurpose someone else’s disregarded items – look to antique or garage sales that feature desks, solid furniture, or any other items that can be spruced up with a minimal amount of work.

Get digital

With sites such as Etsy, you can get a lot of artwork in a digital format. You can simply search for art prints that feature inspirational words, photos, art from other countries, and so on.  There are truly an endless amount of options!

From here, you can print out the piece and have it framed, or purchase an inexpensive frame at a local store like Target or Michael’s.  Digital, print-it-yourself art is typically much less expensive, and generally runs from $3-20 per piece on Etsy. Adding just a few prints will likely run you $30-100 total, and it can really change the vibe of the room.

Spend where it counts

Some items will just always be more expensive. A good, solid ergonomic office chair is a great place to spend money! A nice desk is also a place where quality is important, but you can also find good furniture at repurposed places, such as flea markets or garage sales.

You can really go “budget” on things such as office supplies. There are plenty of cute options out there that don’t break the bank!

Make a list of all the items needed for your renovation, and jot down where you can save, and where you’ll need to spend a little bit more.  Once the major items are decided on, you’ll also have a better overall view of your renovation budget.

Change slowly

Start slow! You can start as small as adding a tiny plant – it can literally breathe fresh air into your space.  Paint your walls one month and get a new desk the next. If you’re budgeting, earmark a small allowance each month (or every few months) to make the changes.

Creating a cozy home office doesn’t have to be expensive! Start slowly, be economical, and spend where you need to.  Over time you can transform your space into your dream office with useful and cool office supplies.  In no time, you’ll have a space that reflects your taste and allows you to work in peace.

At HireMyMom we want to help our Mom Professionals succeed at home and in business. We have a supportive community of Mom Professionals as well as great work from home jobs posted by small businesses around the country! Learn more about HireMyMom and how you can join a supportive faith-based community of Mom Professionals!

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October 23, 2017 0 Comments

5 Ways to Add Fun To Your Home Office

If you work from home, you’ll be spending a lot of time in your home office.  Since it will become your main place of business, it’s important that it reflect you and be comfortable.

If you’re stuck on design ideas, or ways to incorporate your own pizazz into the office, read along! We’re sharing tips to add some fun to your home office.

Personal style

Including your personal style in your office is an easy way to start seeing items that will fit.  If you go into it assuming that offices have to be sterile and boring, you won’t be able to find the items that work for you.

Is your style eclectic?  Do you like really neat, clean lines and minimal color?  Once you establish your personal style, you can choose a paint color, office supplies, and systems of organization that fit your personality.

Office supplies

Office supplies can be a lot of fun! From dog-shaped staplers to taco tape dispensers, to personalized pens and binders, you can really spice up your office for minimal investment.

Check out Target’s office section or hit up the Container Store for fun storage options.  Office supplies certainly don’t need to be boring!

Add some art

Add something to your walls! Even if you aren’t a huge art buff, you can include something on your walls. You can also simply do a fun paint color, accent or patterned wall, or add prints from Etsy.

Etsy even has downloadable prints that you can print at home, and most range from $3-10.  This is an easy way to add color, personality, and style to your space!

Add an unexpected feature

Looking to really add some fun?  Add something unexpected or unique!  In an office setting, something like a zen garden is great for keeping the peace and adding another feature.

You can also add plants, succulents, a small water feature, and so on.  This is just something that’s fun and unique to you, that also gives your office a conversation piece!

Make it functional

Put the fun back in functional. Seek out ergonomically correct chairs, desks and office furniture. It won’t be as enjoyable being in an office if you’re uncomfortable and feeling out of alignment each time you work.  But these items don’t need to be boring! There are colorful office furniture options everywhere, as well as desks that might have a unique shape or setup that’s more suited to your working style.

Don’t forget about computer and phone cords and other functional items. There are fun ways to incorporate these as well.  From the functional – cord wraps – to the fun – USB cords – you can add your own spin.

Make it work for you! That’s the name of the game in making your office fun, functional, and highly personalized to you.

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December 5, 2016 0 Comments

5 Questions to Find Your Home Office Style

If you work from home, you’ll be spending a lot of time in your home office. While we’ve discussed style options and functionality in the past, it can be helpful to start with some solid questions to help determine what will work best for you.

Answer the following questions to begin a home office design that best fits your function and style!

How does the room function?

You can change room functionality, but it’s not always feasible or budget-friendly. Most of the time, we’re going to be using what we have already available.  Does the room have good lighting?  If not, that’s something you need to consider.

Are you too close to a window?  Too far from any natural light?  These are all considerations.  Additionally, is the room too small and is there another spare room available? You’ll need to make note of everything you intend to put in the room, so space is another crucial element to your design.

Which colors?

What speaks to you as far as color? Bright red is beautiful and popular, but it might not calm you as far as a workspace.  What colors are serene and calming to you?  Blue and green are known for these qualities, so they can be a good place to start.

On the other hand, if bright colors inspire your creativity and passion, they can certainly have a place in your office design.  Think of a colorful, bright or 3-D accent wall that might add some unexpected fun to your workspace.

What kind of furniture?

Your desk, chair, bookshelves, and so on – all important parts of an office.  While most will likely have all of these items included in their home office, some may need more or less support or ergonomic furniture.  Another popular item to consider is the standing desk and if it makes sense for you.  These are all decisions that will impact the look, budget, and functionality of your space.

Are you going more for style or function?  These days, you can basically have both depending on budgetary restrictions.  Once you choose your function and color, furniture is a great next step.  Choose what you need, match for color or functionality, and begin choosing these larger statement pieces.

How do you organize?

Everyone needs a system of organization, whether basic or extensive.  Now that you’ll be thinking of your furniture needs, it’s important to factor filing and organizational systems into this.  Do you want a filing cabinet?  Do you do better with mostly online filing?

There are tools and programs that allow you to file all receipts and papers digitally, as well as traditional filing systems that are available at all office stores. Choose a system from the beginning, as this will integrate more seamlessly into your design.

What’s your style?

Do you need a beautiful space to work or does functional matter most to you? Some people will be very content with a very basic office without much color – but a lot of functionality.  These offices can still have several systems and items in place that work best for the worker.  If style is important to you – since you will be spending a lot of time here – take the time to truly make the space your own.

It can be fun to include your child’s artwork, fun books, small decor items that match your style, and much more.  When someone walks into your office, they should still get a sense of your style and how you like to design and work.

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September 6, 2016 0 Comments

5 Ways to Add Style to Your Home Office

When you work from home, you’re bound to spend a lot of time in your home office.  We’ve already discussed the importance of having a separate space just for work, but does it inspire you?

While your office doesn’t need to look like it came from the pages of a home design magazine, you can add small trinkets or design elements that make it feel fun and like home.  After all, you want to be comfortable (and inspired) while you work!  Read along for some easy tips and tricks to make your home office into a comfortable, beautiful space that’s all your own.

Add some color

Color can change an entire room! Think beyond basic white or beige and add some bright, fun paint or simply incorporate colorful items.  Another idea is to do one or two basic colors with one bright pop of color incorporated gently throughout.  A little bit of color adds a lot of style, as your eye will be drawn to that and it will make the room seem more complete.

If you’re a bit afraid of color, start by thinking of your favorite one and add it sparingly among more earthy, basic tones.

Here are some expert tips to help with color in your workspace.

Organization

Storage can be fun! There are so many unique and innovative boxes, bins, and shelves to use for purpose and style.  Did you know that floating wall shelves come in a ton of different patterns and colors?  Start somewhere like The Container Store or Target for accessible options in price and style.

Another avenue of organization can come in the form of desk organizers, planners, and fun touches like chalkboards and white boards.  Take what you love about organization – and what works for you – and put a stylish spin on it.  Make it part of the room, instead of having to tuck it away because it doesn’t go with the color scheme.

Decor Items

There are so many decor and design elements that you can consider in a home office.  From lighting to rugs to fun knick knacks (just avoid overcluttering!) and organization items, there’s never a lack of ideas for adding fun to your office space.

Start with lighting – there are floor lamps, desk lamps, table lamps, and more.  With rugs, you can choose small area rugs with bright pops of color or a large area rug that’s more functional.  The options are truly limitless, but they are all areas to look into if you want to bump your style game up a notch.

A Stylish Desk

A desk and a nice chair can go a long way to adding style to your home office.  It often seems that these items are just typical fare and aren’t very exciting, but you can certainly find desks and chairs in unique colors and styles.  Desks come in a variety of weights and woods, and these days, can even be made in acrylic or lucite.  Chairs can be made to be stylish but ergonomic, padded, or simply fashionable.  Take your pick and use these items as ways to incorporate the color, theme and style of your other office items.

Personal Touch

Add some of your favorite items that showcase your personality and favorite colors. You can also feature your children’s artwork, awards or diplomas, and other things that just make your space feel like home.   Personal style is a major part of overall style and look, so don’t be afraid to incorporate items that are meaningful to you.

Creating a warm, personal home office is a lot of fun and can add a lot of style to your day.  When our offices are well styled and feel like us, it’s easier and more inviting to spend time in them – increasing productivity and efficiency in our daily work lives.

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September 21, 2015 0 Comments

3 Must-Haves For Your Home Office

 

 

When you work from home, most of your time is spent working from your home office.  While design is important for mood and functionality, there are a few key elements that are necessary to keep your body healthy and supported.

 

Office equipment that allows you to work in a way that’s healthier (coupled with frequent breaks!) allows you to be more comfortable and productive.  We all know that constant sitting is bad for our health, so these items aim to keep your body in alignment as much as possible beyond standing.

 

Comfortable Chair

 

A comfortable chair isn’t just important for the obvious reasons – it has health benefits. Choosing a chair that allows your weight to be distributed evenly, provides lumbar support, and fits your body is key.

 

If possible, go to the store to choose your chair to see what works best for you. If you’re unable to find something suitable in the area, there are numerous sites online that cater to (and provide excellent search results) for supportive chairs.

 

Click here for example purchase links and support information:

 

Lumbar Supportive Chairs via Amazon.com

 

Office Chair Back Support

 

Relax the Back Chairs and Support Products

 

Overstock Lumbar Support Office Chairs

 

Good Lighting

 

Straining to look at your screen or office supplies is truly awful for your eye health. Spend a bit extra on good lighting in your office, as well as additional office lamps that will keep the light close to your work station.

 

Also remember to choose lighting that isn’t harsh – it can cause headaches and anxiety if you’re working long hours. Choose warm, soft lighting – but enough that it illuminates your workspace and eliminates strain.

 

Here is some additional information on eye strain and how to prevent the effects.

 

Ergonomic Desk

 

Just as a supportive chair is important, so is your desk. Your eyes should be level with your computer screen so you’re not cranking your neck or looking down.  If you do these things, it can truly cause long term postural and musculoskeletal issues.

 

Ergonomic, height-adjustable desks allow you to set what you need and work in a supportive way.  In general, it’s important to invest some money up front in making your office healthy and happy for you.  While it’s fun to plan the visual side of your home office, spend the bulk of your investment on the items that will keep you feeling great. Here are some more general tips on creating such a workspace.

 

Click here for links to Ergonomic Desks:

 

Wayfair Ergonomic Desks

 

Costco Height-Adjustable Desks

 

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August 13, 2015 0 Comments

Use Technology to Make Your Home Office a Success

If you work from home, you probably encounter the common misconception that you spend most of your workday sitting on your couch in your pajamas with only a half-charged laptop to keep you in contact with the working world. It is true that working from home gives you a level of freedom that isn’t available to the commute-and-cubicle set, but if you’re successful, you make your work environment match or even exceed that of a real office. You keep strict hours and a strict dress code, and you have a designated workspace with a range of technologies that keep you productive and competitive.

If you’re trying to find this balance, consider the following technologies to help you out. Then, you’ll see that they only thing missing from a traditional office is the daily commute.

Track Your Time

Working from home takes discipline. You are surrounded by all kinds of distractions, including the television, laundry, and children, but you have the same demands as any other employee. Technology can be a great tool for separating your work life from your home life. Smartphone apps like Toggl allow you to track your work life the way any at-office time keeper does, so you know when you put your eight hours in. If you need to limit your time on Facebook or BuzzFeed, RescueTime runs in the background on your computer or phone and limits your time on sites that are notorious for wasting time. If you have the opposite problem and find it difficult to separate yourself from work at the end of the day, use Eternity Time Log to restore balance by tracking your work and play. It even connects with your smartwatch to alert you when it might be a good time time to take a break and smell the roses.

Stay Connected

Working from home doesn’t always mean working alone. There are meetings to attend and large-scale projects that require collaboration across multiple departments. Google Hangouts and Skype have become standards for video communication on the web. When it’s time to get down to work, Dropbox and Quickbase offer specific environments for sharing and managing files. One of the greatest features of these technologies is the ability to track changes over time and quickly delegate tasks for different team members. Physical offices used to be a necessity because you needed an actual location to bring everyone together, but as technology finds newer, better ways for people to connect from remote locations, the cube farm becomes more and more irrelevant.

Make Your Home a Place of Business

If you run your own business out of your house, technology is necessary for promoting your business and giving you a leg up in a competitive market. If you meet with clients at your home office, there are subtle ways to make it feel more like a place of business. When combined with mirroring capabilities of Apple TV and Chromecast, a high-def OLED display is perfect for displaying PowerPoint presentations and product demonstrations. Your clients will be so impressed, they won’t ever want to go back to their office.

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June 25, 2015 0 Comments

3 Tips to an Effective Work from Home Office

Creating your home-based office is one of the most crucial and primary steps when you begin working from home.  Our work environment greatly impacts our productivity, stress level, and ability to work effectively, so it’s important to put some time, thought, and effort into creating a wonderful space.

You don’t have to go all out to create a serene office, but there are some key considerations before jumping into your work.  Do you have a comfortable space? What about the chair you’re sitting in?  Read along for tips on setting up a productive, supportive work station that allows for effective work and as little stress as possible.

Find the Best Location

You know what they say – location, location, location! It’s very important that you choose the best location in the house for your home-based office. Is it far from distractions?  Is it in a stuffy location in the house? Does the room bring me peace and serenity?

Make sure that your comfort is included in this checklist. If you’re too close to certain things or too far from others, it can impact your workday.

Get Comfy

Spending a lot of money is not necessary! Although it will be a small investment, it’s well worth it. Do a simple search for “most comfortable office chairs” or go to your local office store to find one that suits you. There are numerous options available to you, and it’s crucial to get one that suits your body and comfort level; you’ll be spending a lot of time there!  A supportive chair that keeps you in a healthy posture is absolutely key.

Another important step in setting up a comfortable office is your desk.  There are also numerous desks out there, ranging from very inexpensive to quite pricy.  It’s important to find something that will last and functions well for what you need.  Does your job require a lot of filing?  Make sure that your desk includes a filing cabinet! If your computer setup is unique, consider that as well.

Cue the Lights

Lighting is one of those things that’s not considered very often, but it can truly affect your workday.  How down do we feel when we aren’t given access to sunlight or windows? It can really dash our productivity!

When you choose your office, do your best to pick a space with a window, and if you can’t do that, ensure that the lighting is top notch. Invest in a great lighting fixture or a few good lamps that produce the most natural light possible.  If you cannot work near a window, be sure that you’re stepping out for fresh air and sunlight as often as you can.

(Image courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net)

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