Working from home has become the new normal for many people. This trend is likely to continue as more individuals and companies recognize the excellent benefits that can be gained from not commuting or renting expensive office space. However, setting up and operating a home office is not as easy as it sounds and should be adopted with some best practices in mind.
Know What You Need
Every home office should be set up differently, that’s because it needs to facilitate the needs of your particular industry. For instance, if you work predominantly online, you may only need a small desk for a PC and a swivel chair. Graphic designers, however, will require a larger desk for brainstorming, and possibly a second PC or device. The point is that your home office needs to be optimized to suit the kind of work you do — it will otherwise lead to inefficiencies, frustrations, lower productivity, and loss of reputation.
Choose A Dedicated Space
If your home office also happens to be the kitchen, garage, or spare room that’s sometimes used, you will leave yourself open to the possibility of distractions and interruptions. Even small interruptions can be surprisingly detrimental to your workflow and productivity; to avoid this eventuality choose a dedicated space in your house. Ideally, it will be somewhere with plenty of privacy and a window. When you’re in your office, it should be understood in the home that you are not to be disturbed.
Find a Printing Solution
Most offices, regardless of the industry, will require a printer for a range of tasks. Printers these days are not one-dimensional; they also double as scanners and Bluetooth devices that can operate via apps and on any devices. If you already have a printer in the home, it could be utilized in your home office; consider wide-format printer repair if it needs to be fixed up. Otherwise, investing in a new device is sensible; newer printers are more suited to digital platforms and cross-channel operations — it will improve your home business’s overall efficiency.
Use a Dedicated Phone-line
There is nothing more unprofessional these days than your home life interfering with your professional environment. People are expected to have a dedicated space in their home from which to operate, and this extends to the phone line and the Internet. If your business number is the same as your home number, there’s a good chance a family member will answer, or a client will receive an unprofessional voicemail message. Similarly, you don’t want a slow Internet connection because someone in your house is watching Netflix.
Keep It Professional, Or Personal
For tax purposes, you will need to have dedicated professional home office space if you want to claim expenses at the end of the year. This means you can’t watch the kids from the other side of the room as you work. But that’s not the only reason to separate your personal and professional life. If you mix things together, such as the Internet, the telephone, and your time and space, it becomes more difficult to distinguish between your life’s two aspects. That might be appealing for some people, but it leads to inefficient work and undue stress.
No comments yet.