Working from home can be a dream once you’ve set up the perfect space to fit your needs. So, if you’re looking for optimum productivity, it’s important to think about what you want (or don’t) to make the space work for you.
Having a home office definitely has its perks – from being flexible about your surroundings to saving time and money by not doing the back-and-forth work commute… even buying flat white after flat white at the corner coffee shop (fondly referred to as “coffices” by urban millennials) adds up at month end.
From space constraints to sound sensitivities, even the chair you choose can make a big difference. That said, maybe you’ll even opt for a standing desk, which some say is more ergonomic. (Like everything, it’s a debate: the one side exclaims that sitting is the “new smoking”, and a standing desk will reduce the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Others argue standing desks are useless, expensive and haven’t really proven their worth.)
A good desk is a just a starting point, because everything else, from your computer to monitor, printer to pot plant, stationery to cat, come next. Look for a comfortable chair that provides decent back support. Make sure your internet connection is reliable. Buy a backup hard drive or look online for cloud storage (such as Dropbox, Google Drive or iCloud) to store important files and whatever else you work with.
Make a list of everything you’ll need and everything you want before you start. I don’t have a printer at home, for example, so I’m always emailing my partner with important documents to print and bring home for me.
Think a laptop is all you’re going to need? Think again! In part two, we’re going to look at other tech you’ll need to get started.
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