Working from home is starting to become the norm for most companies and employees. Thanks to COVID-19, many people had to start working from home to protect not only their health but their families as well. Are you in need of creating the best home office? Then look no further! In this guide, you will learn how to efficiently set-up an at-home office.
Find the Right Location
First and foremost, you want to find the right location for your at-home office. You want an area that has ample amounts of lighting, whether it is natural or not, is comfortable, has enough space, has outlets and has internet access. Many people use a spare bedroom or empty area in their house to make their work area. Once you find your work area, you can deck it all out with decorations or even renovate it with a home contractor. A home service company can help you repaint the room, repair any damages or install new flooring to help bring your office to life.
Have Access to the Internet
To properly work from home, you have to access the internet. The internet is the only way you are going to be able to make it to meetings, meet deadlines, turn-in information or work in general. If you do not have access to the internet, you need to call an internet service company right away. Many cable and phone companies have internet packages that you can add to your account. If you already have internet installed, make sure it is a high enough speed. Pages that take too long to load or videos that buffer too much, will not work for your office. Instead, upgrade your internet to a higher speed, so you can efficiently work.
Find the Right Lighting
Just like how you need to find the right lighting for an at-home classroom, the perfect lighting for your home office is important as well. Natural lighting is always the best lighting for work. You are not only saving electricity, but your eyes work the best under sunlight. However, you may not have access to the sun, and that’s okay because there are other lighting choices you can use. Over-head ceiling fixtures should provide low-level and glare-free lighting. You can easily do this by switching to low-level lightbulbs and reducing the number of fluorescent bulbs you have. Also, remember to play around with your computer lighting. Blue light from computers can damage your eyes, so make sure to lower your computer’s brightness.
Be Organized
Whether you are working at a work or home office, organization is a must. Organization is essential for an at-home office because the more comfortable we are with an area, the less organized we are. You can easily achieve an organized desk by cleaning your work area every day. Place objects back in its original place right after you use it and take out the trash daily. Also, keep a work calendar and a daily calendar on-hand. Calendars will help you schedule meetings and appointments in your work and everyday life. It also keeps you on top of any deadlines you may have.
Keep an Expense Report
While working from home, many companies won’t give you a supply budget. Instead, they expect you to keep track of all your expenses and to report them on your taxes. Some companies will provide you with an expense report, but most businesses expect you to be in charge of keeping track of your work spending. Easy ways to keep track is to either use an expense report template or to make an excel sheet. If you consistently keep track of your work spending, filing your taxes will be easy.
Have the Right Supplies
Since you won’t have access to the supply closet at work, you have to equip your home with all the right work supplies. Work supplies that will come in handy include but are not limited to: printer paper, pens, pencils, paper clips, binders, file clips, sticky notes, and highlighters. Try to keep in mind everything you used while you were working at the office. If you are starting a new job from home, don’t be afraid to reach out to other employees or your boss. Once you have all your supplies at your desk, you are ready to start your workday.
Working from home is different from an office environment, but it is doable. By following these suggested tips, you will easily transition and flourish in an at-home office. If you need help renovating your office or other parts of your home, please reach out to Valor Home Services.
