The home office is becoming more and more popular. Whether the work takes place on a PC or notebook, it always offers the possibility of freedom that office space or co-working spaces do not provide.
But to ensure that working in your own home is fun and productive, the office setup is important. What is important and what should be observed in general? This post provides seven setup tips.
1. BUY ERGONOMIC EQUIPMENT
Even the best job becomes torture when your back hurts, your shoulders pull and your fingers go numb. When setting up the home office, care must be taken to ensure a good and ergonomic workplace. Working from the couch is certainly comfortable from time to time, the majority of the work should always be done at the desk. The self-employed even have the luck that employees don’t have at this point: they can decide for themselves.
A) DESK
Most desks have a universal height of just under 65-72 centimeters. However, this dimension only fits “standard people”, because tall people have just as much trouble with a tabletop of this height as smaller people. Therefore, it is advisable to buy a height-adjustable desk. Additional tip: Some models have a tiltable tabletop. It also creates more comfort.
b) Desk chair
Especially when setting up their home office for the first time, many people tend to save in the wrong places. Thus, a simple chair is placed at the table and sat on while working. This is a big mistake because the back pain is not long in coming. An ergonomic chair is a much better solution here. The adjustable height and the adjustable backrest are important, but the seat should also be tiltable. Armrests are usually recommended, but not everyone can use them.
c) Tasatur
Special ergonomic keyboards make sense because they protect the arm and wrists. If you use a laptop, you should use an external keyboard anyway, since the arm position on the notebook is always too narrow and prevents healthy sitting. An external monitor also helps to improve head posture. If you pay attention to ergonomics here, you can do something good for your own health.
If the work involves sitting for several hours, wobbly chair pads are also a good idea. They mean that you have to keep your balance again and again, which causes the spine and pelvis to move slightly. A standing desk also prevents tension.
2ND ORDER IS HALF THE LIFE
In the home office, one tends to leave something lying around. After all, no boss comes by and customers are rarely received at home. While chaos maybe a ladder, it’s also a distraction. Good order is therefore important:
- Desk – only what is needed for the work should always be open. For everything else, there are good filing systems, which in turn can be sorted into priorities.
- Desktop – how many folders and files do the desktop show? Here, too, it is advisable to only move programs and folders that are directly related to work to the desktop. Private folders, photos, documents, and the like are not on the desktop or in the quick tray.
- General – at home we eat quickly on the PC, the coffee cup stays put or the water bottles collect under the table. Even so, people like to take something with them to the study in order to put it away somewhere else later. The following applies here: The end of the working day means that all cups, bottles, plates, and other things that are in the work area are cleared away.
The last point, in particular, helps to start motivated in the morning. There is probably nothing worse than cleaning up the leftovers from the last day in the morning.
3. CREATE A PLEASANT ATMOSPHERE
The word home office already bears it in the name. It is at home and here it can be comfortable and atmospheric. Decorations, plants, pictures, or posters on the walls are allowed. Especially those who do not receive customers at home can develop freely here.
- What you like – the atmosphere is created as you like it. If you like figures or Lego kits, you can put a few in the study. Others use candles, bowls, or even photos.
- Color – the color of the walls also helps to feel comfortable working in this room or space.
– Plants – not only create atmosphere, but they also help the indoor climate.
4. A GOOD INDOOR CLIMATE IS WORTH ITS WEIGHT IN GOLD
In order to work with concentration, the climate in the room is important. Everybody knows it. If it’s too cold, it seems as if your fingers freeze on the keyboard, if it’s too warm, you’re not only glued to your chair, but your thinking is also sluggish. But what is right and what is not? In general, temperatures between 18 and 23 degrees are good, depending on personal feelings. In summer, therefore, air conditioning is sometimes recommended, especially if it is a house that heats up quickly.
5. PAY ATTENTION TO THE RIGHT LIGHTING CONDITIONS
Daylight is extremely important in the home office, but it can also be disruptive. If the room faces south, it will probably get very hot in summer, so blinds are a must. Otherwise applies:
- NO WINDOW IN THE BACK – The window must not be in the back as the sunlight will shine on the screen. Also, you should never look directly at the nearby window. The sunlight blinds unfavorably.
- Lights – in addition to good ceiling lighting or floor lamps for general room lighting, a good desk lamp is important. It must not dazzle either, but it must illuminate the entire desk. Depending on your taste, you can use a daylight lamp. Especially in winter, it definitely helps to feel more awake.
6. IDENTIFY HARDWARE ACCORDING TO PURPOSE
Whether it’s a laptop or a PC, the device should effortlessly withstand the demands. It is therefore important to choose the computer that suits your own work. Some examples:
a) Graphics
If you work a lot with graphics, render 3D images or even create videos, you need a powerful PC with large RAM and an excellent graphics card.
b) Programmers
Here, too, a lot of performance is required to run the programs alongside the actual system.
c) Word processing
Good mid-range devices are sufficient for word processing, spreadsheets, and editing simple images.
It is important to consider whether it should be a desktop PC or a notebook. More space is required for the computer, at least if a typical tower is chosen.
7. DON’T FORGET YOUR SCANNER AND PRINTER
Of course, a lot works via the Internet these days, but now and then a printer is necessary. A scanner can also be useful, even if the scanning can be done via the smartphone if necessary. The following applies here:
- Printer – everyone is advised to get a laser printer. They are more expensive to buy, but the toners last much longer and do not dry up if they are not used for a long time. For printers with common cartridges, the price of the cartridges should be checked before buying. They are often more expensive than the printer.
- Multifunctional – there are good multifunctional printers that also perform the role of copier and scanner. The laser variant is also recommended here.
It is good if the printer not only offers WLAN but can also be used with online printing services.
CONCLUSION – PAY ATTENTION TO THE FACILITY
The home office is definitely the second living room because it is where people spend hours. It has to be comfortable and inviting, but also serve the actual purpose in the best possible way. It is often half the battle when the work area is equipped with a desk and chair according to one’s own wishes and feelings. The atmosphere, the room climate, but also the hardware are the other factors that allow a pleasant and friendly day in the home office.
Editorial Team
