The outbreak of Covid-19 changed many of the ways we approach normal activities. One of the most significant shifts is the large number of people now working remotely, and this change might endure beyond the virus. According to a LinkedIn survey, 82% of people wanted to work from home at least once a week, with 57% desiring to work from home at least 3 days a week. While you might find yourself most productive working in your PJs from bed, here are some tips for setting up a home office.
1. Invest in a good chair:
Even while you are working at home, you can still spend up to half a day sitting in the chair. Day after day, those hours stack up. Having a good office chair for that time seated can help mitigate bad posture, save your back, and increase productivity. There is a massive range of chairs out there at many price points, which can make the chair-buying process a tad overwhelming at times. Some things to consider and narrow the options down are back, thigh, and arm support, materials, height, and warranty if offered.
2. Choose the right desk for you and your home:
A desk that meets the needs of your work and available space is the foundation of a good home office space. Take time to carefully consider what your needs are and how to best accommodate them in the new workspace. Do you want a standing desk, a long one with tons of space to spread out, or does enough space for your laptop seem like the ideal size? Here are some DIY desk plans for any shape and size to get you started.
3. Good cable management is a thing of beauty:
The last thing you want when setting up your desk is to have it perfectly set up on top but have heaps of tangled cables lurking below. Thankfully, managing cables is fairly simple but just takes some time and thought to get right. Here is a helpful guide to getting you started on making the cables disappear.
4. Ask your employer for help:
If you are being encouraged to work from home due to COVID-19, you may want to get in touch with your employer to help you set up your own office. Just like they would provide you with a desk and a chair at the office, they may be able to help you with some of the cost of setting up your work-from-home office.
5. Use a second monitor:
While not a necessity, having a second monitor can revolutionise your workflow. The ability to switch between two screens or just to have a bigger screen to view your work can help increase your productivity. Without having to juggle multiple windows, multitasking becomes much easier. If you are looking for a monitor but don’t want to break the bank, check out IGN’s guide to the best budget monitors.
6. Don’t forget about the mouse and keyboard:
Often overlooked, a good mouse and keyboard are key tools for anybody working remotely in the 21st century. Mechanical keyboards offer a nice tactile feel with good feedback and can offer lots of comfort and support. They also can be highly modular and customizable for any layout that you may be after. If you want to go full customisation mode, check out these keyboards.
When looking at a mouse, it is good to look at the ones that will be the most ergonomic for the long days in your home office. For a complete guide on mouse shopping, check out this guide.
7. Set up your desk for long-term ergonomic success:
Spending some extra time measuring and adjusting your desk and monitor in your new home office can be well worth it in the long run. Good ergonomic practices can save your body unnecessary aches and pains from the long hours spent in a chair working each day. Here is a great resource to help you get started on your journey to comfort.
8. Style to taste:
House plants can be a great addition to your home office. They help filter the air, require natural light make you open the shades, and could make your office Instagram-worthy if you are into that kind of thing. Stuff has a great article on getting started with house plants.
If house plants aren’t your style or you are looking for more desk decor, check out this BuzzFeed article. It has a variety of objects to liven up your office space such as a “Dundie” award, novelty mugs, or caffeinated chocolate.
If setting up a home office is a priority or a necessity for you but you don’t have the finances right now, a Home Improvement loan from Harmoney can help.
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