Top Tips for Creating your Home Office

Many of us are coming to the end of our first full week working at home, which has also been combined with home schooling for parents who are not classified as ‘key workers.’ Just a few weeks ago, few of us would have envisaged this happening, but we are all having to adapt rapidly as events around us change by the day.

In this time of crisis, it seems more important than ever to share knowledge and communicate – so we thought it might be useful to share some of our recommendations for creating the right environment at home for both work and school. Whilst home working is obviously not a new thing, adopting some of these principles could help maximise the juggling act that is working alongside schooling.

Establishing a routine is perhaps the most obvious thing to start. While not necessarily being fixed around the same work hours (flexibility of when you work is one of the many benefits of being at home), if you are home schooling children this makes a lot of sense and allows you to fit your work alongside and around it.

Your working environment is now, more than ever, something you need to consider carefully. Not all of us already have a dedicated home office, so let’s think about the best part of your home to allow you to work. A space for a desk, with plenty of light is an important consideration. Factor in proximity to wi-fi and any other technological requirements you might need. Try to ensure it is not the same space that you are already using to eat breakfast or make dinner.

Of course, there are certain elements of your interior décor that can help improve your working from home experience. This can be through a variety of ways. For some people, it allows them to segment off a space in their home to dedicate for work. And for other people, it may be as simple as finishing off their home office in their room or conservatory and creating the perfect look. There are furniture and décor options that aid making a room look finished such as your desk, task chair and even the paint on the walls. Rugs have the ability to make a space feel complete, no matter what style you choose. If you need a rug for your room or conservatory, contact our friends at Land of Rugs.

It goes without saying that the flexible space that an orangery or garden room provides covers many of these requirements and more – with the added advantage of bringing you closer to your garden and the outdoors, which brings additional health benefits. A constant stream of natural light during the working day is also far more beneficial than having to rely on artificial light, good for both your wellbeing and also for saving energy.

Taking short breaks throughout the day are important to help you retain levels of concentration. Step away from your desk and have a stretch – checking your posture and your new work space are just as important at home as they are at your normal place of work. Use these breaks to make a healthy snack or complete errands: being able to tick things off your To-Do list is a positive for anyone.

It is important to consider what distracts you and develop ideas for how to overcome this. It might be social media or other tasks that do not relate to your work – try and focus on one task at a time and use your short breaks to catch up on the news and latest social media.

Above all, let’s remember to stay connected. We certainly have the tools available to do this, whether it is a Zoom virtual meeting, Microsoft Teams, FaceTime or a simple phone call – staying in touch with each other and communicating with colleagues, friends and families has never been so important.

What are your top tips for home working? Leave us a comment via our social media channels.