Upgrades That Make a Home Office More Comfortable and Productive by Emma Williams

Photo by Elly Fairytale from Pexels

Are you working from home at the moment? As it happens, all of us are in the middle of what looks like to be the world’s largest work from home experiment. In a matter of weeks, companies have transitioned from office jobs to working from home, and all of us are left to figure out exactly what it means for us. While some might see this as the opportunity of a lifetime, others have a hard time drawing a line between home and office life. Here’s how you can make your home office both more comfortable and more productive.

Get the best desk

Believe it or not, but money shouldn’t be the only reason why you’re buying a certain desk or an office chair. If you only need your laptop and a cup of coffee for work, a small and cheap desk will work fine for you. On the other hand, if you have a ton of papers, folders, pens, cups, and small shelves, getting a small desk just because it’s affordable will make your life difficult, not easier. If you like standing up and walking around while you work, a standing desk might be your thing; however, if you have a million different folders, a desk with big drawers is a lifesaver.

Find a comfortable chair

Even if you get the best possible desk on the market, it will mean nothing if you don’t get an equally good chair too. You will likely be spending at least eight (most likely even more) hours a day sitting in it and working hard on your projects, so why use your kitchen chair or buy something cheap? Uncomfortable office chairs can make your life much more difficult because bad posture while working can result in some serious health issues, including low blood pressure and chronic neck and back pain. Because you will be spending a lot of time sitting in that chair, you should go above and beyond to make sure that the one you are using is right for you.

Remove distractions

You don’t have to turn an entire room in your house into an office if you don’t have the funds or space, but make sure to remove distractions while you’re working. Don’t position your desk so that you’re staring straight at the TV because you’ll be tempted to take unnecessary breaks often. If your carpet is making it difficult to move your chair around and settle in a more comfortable position, get a thick chair mat instead of fidgeting every couple of minutes. Also, if you have to cover your screen with sticky notes to remind you to do something, it’s better to write them on a small whiteboard or pin notes on a corkboard that you can keep next to your workstation.

High-quality equipment

Because we’re spending a lot of time joining conference calls, a great camera and a quality microphone are a must. If you’re living alone, you can connect your computer to great speakers so you can make sure you can hear your colleagues every word, but if you have roommates or you live with your family, nice headphones or even a headset would be a better choice, since the noise wouldn’t be bothering others. Bluetooth headset is also a great investment if you like listening to music while you work – you can listen to your favorite productivity-boosting tracks even while you’re walking around.

Use a soft light desk lamp

Pretty much every happy and productive workspace has a great source of light. Unfortunately, not all of us are able to sit by the window and soak in natural light, which is why a simple soft light desk lamp would be a great addition to your home office. Working under harsh light is bad for your eyes and for your mind too, and the soft glow of these lamps will give your office that warm, cozy feeling that will help you stay relaxed and focused. Because natural light exposure has proven positive effects on our mental and physical health, try to keep your blinds open and let the sunshine in.

Conclusion

Working from home saves us a lot of time and it saves companies plenty of resources, as they don’t have to spend a fortune on electricity and coffee for their employees. If you’re finding it difficult to focus on your work because you’re at home, it might be a good idea to invest some time and funds to make sure your home office really looks and feels like an office and not just a comfy corner of your living room. The home office should increase your productivity and help you draw the line between work and home life.