For those working from home, creating an office environment that’s conducive to productivity is essential. A home office that’s made exactly for the purpose of work, and nothing else, is often far preferable to a laptop on a kitchen table – or, worse yet, one that’s being used in front of the television.

Optimising your office space will allow you to be more productive, and to suffer less stress. This will ultimately help you to earn more money, and lead a more fulfilling professional life. In other words, getting the space right is critical.

But exactly what goes into a great home workspace? Let’s take a look at a few essential considerations.

Selecting the ideal workspace

Distraction can be a major obstacle to productivity. Your home office space should be designed to minimise it. The easiest way to do this is to start from an area of the home where distraction is minimal. Select a room as far away from sources of noise as possible.

Install insulation where possible, and set the furniture up so that you’re facing away from any visual disturbances. Natural light sources will support your wellbeing as you spend time in the space, which is why windows and skylights serve such an important purpose.

Investing in ergonomic furniture

Where you place your furniture, and your choice of furniture, can make a big difference to your long-term health. Specifically, a good chair can help you to avoid problems in the lower back and shoulders. Make sure that it’s set up such that your elbows are at right angles to the table while you’re typing. Make sure also that your monitor is positioned such that the top is level with your eyes. A wall-mounted monitor might help you to do this easily, while reducing the visual clutter that comes with lots of cabling.

Ensuring reliable high-speed internet

If your home office doesn’t enjoy a reliable internet connection, then you’ll be unable to work effectively from it. That goes especially if you’re going to be participating in videoconferencing sessions. Make sure that your home network can handle multiple connections, especially if you’re going to be relying on it when other members of the household might be putting it under strain. If you’re regularly dealing with very large files, then investing in fibre-optic broadband might well be worthwhile. Look through the available broadband deals, and pick out the one that’s right for you.

Incorporating essential technology and equipment

The technology you install in your office will depend on your needs. If you’re a 3d designer, then you might need a powerful modern computer and a high-resolution monitor. If you’re a writer, then a mechanical keyboard might make more of a difference to your experience. Webcams, headphones and the right software might help, too.

Optimising lighting and ambience

Generating the right ambience can help you to focus, and improve both the quality of your work, and the speed with which you can do it. The right ambience typically means eliminating clutter, and using the right lighting. A desk lamp, or a screen-mounted lamp that shines directly down onto your work surface without creating glare on your monitor, might be helpful – as might the right set of blinds for your windows. Above all, try to avoid working in darkness – as the glare of your computer’s screen will put you at risk of eye strain.

Implementing effective cable management

Cable management problems aren’t just unsightly – they’re also a potential cause of accidents. Clip your cables together and store them out of sight. In many home offices, you can achieve a lot by simply mounting a series of hooks to the underside of your desk, and threading the cables through them.

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