Whether you are working from home on an occasional basis waiting in for a delivery, or full-time due to the current pandemic, it is well worth taking some time to arrange your work area.
Obviously, the perfect set up would be a dedicated home office that is tailored to you, that you don’t have to share with other people, perhaps with a nice view out the window, and easy access to the kettle for a brew. Maybe you’d have a few shelves with important books or paperwork within arms reach, and you’d have a bit of space so that you can wander round to formulate your plans for world domination. If this is the arrangement that you have, congratulations ! For the rest of us, there may need to be a compromise, or three…
Location, location, location
Your WFH-area, may need to double as the spare bedroom, or the main bedroom, or the kitchen. Wherever you choose to set-up, spend a bit of time working out where the problems might be. Some questions to ponder:
Can I fit a suitable chair in this area ? Can it be tucked out of the way when not needed or must it stay in place?
Is there a suitable surface that can be used as a desk ?
Can I get up and move around when I need to ?
Can I get the internet just here – not sure ? then check it before you get started, same for the mobile phone signal.
Will I have to zoom from here ? Check what is behind you and what can be seen on the camera and then make appropriate changes !
Can I hear distracting noise from the neighbour or from outside ? Working hour noise levels may be very different to weekend noise levels.
Can I charge my phone just here or will I have to sprint across the room every time it rings ? Do I need an extension socket and where can I put it so that guests don’t trip on it ?
Is there enough daylight for me or is the glare from car windows outside too distracting ? Is there glare from other surfaces in the room ?
Is the temperature ok for me here and can I adjust it ? Most houses have warm and cold spots.
Where can I store useful items ? maybe a trolley which can be wheeled into the cupboard under the stairs when not needed, or perhaps a series of crates which co-ordinate with the room and can fit into existing shelving.
When will others need to use this area – school holidays, mealtimes, homework/project work, train cancellations due to bad weather/strikes – and how will we share ?This first tip should be a juicy one. It’ll keep your readers with you.
Choose Well
Take your time to find the right home working area for you, it may vary throughout the year, but it definitely needs to fit in with the rest of your life, rather than taking it over.