There are benefits to working from home that you cannot get in an office environment. The problem is that there are also distractions at home that you would not have at the office.
This is why you need to make a space for yourself to use as a home office. Having a dedicated space will allow you to distinguish between work mode and home mode. Bringing work home has always been a problem for working parents who need to spend time with their kids. When your work is in the home, it is even more important that you set boundaries for yourself and your kids.
Luckily, creating a dedicated telecommuting spot should help make these boundaries clear and help you stay on top of your work. Decorate, equip, and design a space that allows you to meet all your work goals without having to move around too much.
Get the Equipment
Make sure that your home computer is capable of meeting your work demands. Consider getting a dedicated laptop that you use only for work projects. If your job provides you with a laptop, get a backup hard drive to store vital information.
Even with everyone working on the cloud nowadays, there will still be important information that needs to be kept separate and secure. A backup hard drive not only allows you to keep this information safe, but it is also mobile, and you can easily bring it to the office when you are done telecommuting.
Ask your computer to help subsidize the cost of a good printer. A printer that can also scan will come in very handy much more often than you might imagine. Despite working online, there are going to be times you need to print something to keep a file copy. It can even aid your kids with their online learning. They will likely need to print worksheets and scan the finished work to be sent to their teachers.
Ergonomic Furniture
You will spend a lot of time in your home office and thus, you need to make sure that it is comfortable. An ergonomic chair and desk set up can save you a lot of agony from a stiff neck or back.
At the very least, an ergonomic chair has built-in lumbar support, which should help you to maintain your posture and keep your body from getting sore or stiff from sitting in one position for too long. You can adjust their height, the depth of the seat, and the arms and backrest as well.
Some people prefer to eschew sitting altogether and get standing desks. Standing desks can be very good for the posture and help prevent backache as well. They also cause you to burn more calories, which is likely a good thing as you may find yourself eating more at home than you normally would in the office. Standing desks have also been noted to improve mood and keep you feeling energetic for longer.
Reduce Stress with Storage
You need to give your self-storage options for your work items. A desk may seem like all you need, but eventually, the papers, stationery, and notes you need are going to begin cluttering up your usable desk space.
Having dedicated storage space for your work needs will help you to reduce clutter and be organized. Being able to file away items in clearly labeled drawers or containers will make it easier for you to find the items when you need them.
Finding an item when you need it is better for your stress level than having everything in sight at all times. It will give you a feeling of having too much to do with hardly any time and may affect your work quality. Consider what type of storage works for your telecommuting setup and find a way to place the drawers or storage bins in a way that keeps everything within your reach.
With enough preparation and the right equipment, you may find that you are a much more effective employee when working from home. The relaxation of being in your own space and not having the distractions of office politics can help you give your work a heightened focus level.
Maintaining this focus does mean that you will have to help your kids understand that they have to stay out of your way when you are most busy. If you are in a separate room, this can be as easy as telling them not to disturb you at all if the door is closed, but an open door means they can ask for help or attention.
Kids can be loud, and if your partner is working from home as well, then you may need to invest in a good pair of noise-canceling headphones. This will ensure that you do not get distracted and that outside sounds do not derail your meeting. Working from home is a big change, and you deserve to give yourself every advantage in making it a successful transition.
