A Home Office You Can Actually Work From

Working from home is the dream for a lot of people. Whether it’s because it helps you contend with a health condition that makes travel onerous, allows you to balance child care with work more effectively or simply to avoid the morning commute, a day of working from home is a great relief!

To make it work long term, though, you need to demonstrate that you can work effectively from home. If you don’t produce the same output you do in the office, your stint at working from home will come to an early, unceremonious end.

Part of the solution is creating the right environment to work in. You need to free yourself from distractions, so you can focus on the work at hand and not be distracted by the lures of being at home: television, games, even housework.

Ideally you’ll be able to convert a whole room an office, but if you don’t have the luxury of a spare room, finding space elsewhere in the house is possible. Start by clearing away clutter. If you need to empty your spare room, or make space by getting rid of bulky furniture try looking into storage companies. If you make use London storage from byStored, they’ll even include the free pick up of your furniture as part of the price of storage so you don’t need to worry about driving it the storage facility.

When you’ve cleared space, you can furnish it appropriately. Finding a desk and chair at the right height are key. If you’re distracted by physical discomfort you won’t be working effectively, and if you push through the discomfort you risk back problems that dog you for the rest of your life.

And it’s crucial not to underestimate the importance of the right tech. If you don’t have a working computer, or a laptop that is hanging on for dear life, how much time will it add to your day? If you can’t afford a new computer, there are programs like CleanMyMac X you can use to clear up your hard drive. Keeping your office comfortable and productive is crucial, but the tech will make life much easier. 

These are the bare essentials, but if you have a whole room to work with you can go further. Including a comfortable chair or sofa, and a couple of books and magazines will allow you to take some time away from the screen – which is necessary every so often to improve your focus – without leaving the office, and opening yourself up to the temptations of the rest of the world.

When you’re working from home you need to be responsible for all your own office supplies. If your pen runs dry, or you don’t have ink in your printer the only person who can fix the situation is you! Don’t let yourself be distracted from your work with an unscheduled trip to the shops. Keep a stationery cupboard just as well stocked as you would if you were at work, and you’ll find your home office is one you can really work in!