It’s an inescapable future to have to set up shop in your own home instead of heading to the office, especially with COVID-19 still running amok around us. The worldwide situation has also driven company executives to come to terms with the fact that it’s absolutely possible to conduct staff meetings remotely, and some meetings can definitely be replaced with an email.
True enough, many realizations have manifested during this quarantine, and only God knows if and when things will be back to normal and working from the office comes back as common practice. But as much as you’d like to procrastinate by laying on your bed or watching TV, it’s time to spruce up your place a bit and make it more conducive to business dealings. Check out our work-from-home hacks below!
Designate an area specifically for work
FYI, it doesn’t have to be an entire room. For condo-dwellers or for those who live in limited spaces, all you’ll need is a piece of furniture that signifies work: a desk. Don’t forget to check out the dimensions before buying, though; just because it looks aesthetically pleasing doesn’t mean it’s large enough for your office essentials or small enough to fit into your living space. Better yet, measure the area you’re dedicating for work and determine the size range of your work desk, so you’ll know exactly what you’re looking for.
In case your desk doesn’t have drawers — or simply put, you don’t have enough space to organize all your work stuff in your home office, set yourself up with a desk organizer for all your office supplies and knicknacksand a portable filing cabinet for all your documents. That way, you don’t need the extra steps to grab your work materials from across the room.
For more tips on how to create a functional home office space, read more here.
Make sure you’re comfortable
When we say comfortable, we don’t mean so you can put your feet up and relax. You’ll still require a certain level of comfort to help stimulate you to tick things off your to-do list, and your choice of office chair can do just that. There’s a variety of these chairs to choose from, so you don’t have to settle for a boring, run-of-the-mill office chair. Instead, treat yourself to an ergonomic chair or chic yet functional desk chair to help you accomplish deadlines without a hitch. If you already have a decent chair to work with, get yourself a back support, so you don’t slouch all day as you work from home.
Apart from your comfy seat, you might want to consider the placement of your laptop or desktop on your workspace. Elevate your screen with a laptop stand, or get yourself a secondhand monitor to expand your screen and prevent eye and neck strain. This is particularly helpful if you’re a graphic artist, illustrator, or video editor who works long hours in front of a computer.
Want to figure out the best work computer setup for you? Read more here.
Keep yourself organized
It’s so easy to lose track of time while you’re at home, especially when you’re laser-focused on a TV show you’re binge-watching. Sometimes, you’ll need a visible reminder that’ll tell you that you’ve got pressing concerns that need to be dealt with ASAP, or else you’ll never hear the end of it from your superior or coworkers. To make yourself more of a self-starter, install a clock —digital or analog— near your workspace and instill a sense of urgency when it comes to your deadlines.
In addition, you might want to invest in a corkboard, chalkboard, or whiteboard (depending on your style) to help you map out what you need to do throughout the day and the rest of the week. Don’t miss out on the satisfaction of physically ticking boxes on your to-do list! That might just make you even more motivated to get stuff done.
Need more productivity tips while working from home? Read more here.
Become an online meeting pro
Before anything else, we highly recommend not multitasking, like going to the bathroom to do your business, while you’re attending a video conference. Try not to make your lasting impression with your bosses and colleagues a very awkward and mortifying one!
Now that’s covered, let’s get to your online conference essentials. If you’re in a job position that requires you to do presentations or workshops online, you don’t necessarily need to purchase a new laptop or desktop computer—you can make smaller investments for your current workspace that won’t cost as much.
First up, you need good lighting, and sometimes, attaching a light source like a ring light to your laptop or behind your camera can spell the difference between high pixelation and high definition. While we’re on topic, you may need a higher resolution camera to be seen, so an external webcam might just do the trick.
Next, let’s talk audio. If you want your voice to sound crisp and clear, you can plug in an external microphone instead of depending on the one attached to your earphones. This can come in the form of a bulky condenser microphone, or a compact mic with the furry blimp that vloggers use on their cameras (yes, these can be high quality, too!).
Go the extra mile for your office nook
Now that you have all your essentials down pat, consider getting just a little bit extra in making your home office space even more conducive for work. These aren’t mandatory additions, but they might just add enough stimuli for you to accomplish tasks efficiently.
Add a bit of nature in your workspace—you already know how popular it is to become a plantito or plantita, so what have you got to lose in joining the club? Go for low-maintenance plant babies like a snake plant, money plant, or peace lilies to decorate your home office and give you an extra serving of fresh oxygen as you work. Cacti and succulents work just as well, too! You can check out our tips on home gardening to get you started.
Install an air diffuser in your home office to freshen up the air, and put in drops of essential oils that can bring you a sense of calm and focus. Plus, it can help freshen up your plants, too.
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We hope that you’ll find these work-from-home solutions useful in transforming your home office to a more efficient workspace. Good luck!
