Boost Your Productivity with the Right Home Office Set up
Whether you're working from home for the first time or a seasoned remote worker, you've likely noticed how much your environment can affect your productivity, energy, and mental wellbeing. During these current times, it's especially critical to take care of yourself during work.
Setting up for remote work can be complicated, especially if you're new to working from home or have space constraints. We know from experience that the first few weeks can be quite bumpy as you navigate a new way of working.
So, we urge you to be gentle with yourself. It's okay if things don't always go as planned. Remember that your colleagues and clients are all going through this same transition with you.
To help, we've put together a guide to setting up the best home office for you:
First, have a heart-to-heart with yourself
Take a few minutes to think about how you worked best in the office and how you could replicate those conditions at home. Don't be tempted to skip this step. You can't optimize your home office if you don't know what you need.
We realize that it might not be possible to get anywhere close to your ideal setup, but perhaps there's a creative hack that can get you a bit closer? For example, if you thrive in a noisy open office, set up some background music. Work best in silence? Consider noise-canceling headphones like these from Sony.
Set up a dedicated work space
If it's possible, set up a dedicated space that you use only for work. It'll make it much easier to keep your work life and personal life separate. If possible, pick a spot where you are least likely to be distracted by other members of your household.
Light it up
Natural daylight is a proven mood booster that can also alleviate anxiety and depression. So, if you can set up near a window, you should take advantage of that. If not, you can fake it by experimenting with lamps that mimic daylight.
Keep cool and ventilated without breaking the bank
As we head into spring and summer, your home office will likely heat up. It’s difficult to concentrate in a hot and stuffy room, so don’t wait until it’s too hot; plan for a cooling solution now. Here’s our favorite energy efficient options for different home office setups:
Pair a portable air conditioner with your home office
If your home office has a window, a personal portable air conditioner can save you from cranking up the central AC (and your energy bill). The Compact Series portable indoor air conditioner from Honeywell is simple to set up and energy-efficient. Plus, it’s easy to move from room to room — you could even run it in the home office during the day and then the bedroom at night.
Move to the basement
Escaping to your basement can be a great way to hide from the heat. However, you could run into high humidity, which can be downright uncomfortable. Here, we'd suggest a dehumidifier like the Honeywell TP50WKN to help you stay cool and dry all summer long. If it’s not cool enough, a portable home air conditioner will also do the trick to keep you cool without wasting electricity!
Stay cool in your backyard with an evaporative air cooler
One of the advantages of working from home is that you aren’t confined to your office cubicle. If you have access to a back yard or private patio, grab your laptop and try working outside. Sunlight plus fresh air could be the combo you need to power through your day. If it gets too toasty outside, try the Honeywell Outdoor Air Cooler. It’s compact, cheap to run and mimics a cool, refreshing lakeside breeze!
Plus, you can use it after work too! An evaporative cooler will keep the kids comfortable when they play outside and your entire family during backyard BBQs.
Combat indoor air pollution and spring allergies:
With entire families home for lockdown, you might’ve noticed the air at home feeling stuffier than usual — you’re not imagining it. With spring allergies peaking, opening the windows might not be an option. One way to rejuvenate the air is with a HEPA Air Purifier that filters airborne dust, allergens and other microbial bacteria floating in the air. The Bluemyst HEPA Home Air Purifier is an excellent option at an affordable price.
Personalize your space
Your desk at work was likely filled with family photos, your favorite office supplies, and maybe even fun tchotchkes. If you can, we recommend you decorate your home office in the same manner to mimic the office experience. Display framed photos and the kids' latest artwork. Use your favorite mug and pens. Make the space yours.
We hope you found this useful!
The more you can make your home office a space you want to spend time in, the easier it will be to get your work done. Good luck with your work from home set up and do let us know if you have any questions or more home office setup ideas! Please stay safe and well.