Arguably, one of the best aspects to working independently is being able to work from home. Not having to pay high gas prices, having a flexible schedule and being able to work in pajamas all contribute to the lure of freelancing and consulting. On the other hand, this freedom can present potential problems if it is not approached properly. It is imperative that home offices be organized and that you keep your work and personal life separate. Staying organized and comfortable while working at home can help you get the most out of your work, and the writers at Sologig.com are full of great ideas to help maintain the balance.
Choose the location wisely
Before you can roll out the “Home Sweet Home” mat in front of your office, you need to find a suitable location. Ask yourself the following questions to help determine where the best place is for you:
- Can you work in an existing room in your house? If you have small children, pets or anything else that could be a distraction, be prepared to handle unexpected visits from them.
- Is the room is near a lounging area like a family room or den? Make sure you have enough willpower to resist the urge to flip through the channels of the TV instead of dealing with your mass of unanswered emails.
- Do you need people around to help motivate you during uninspired times? Office mates can sometimes help keep you on track when you are feeling like you are fresh out of ideas.
If after answering these questions you feel like you can work from an area you already have in your home, congratulations! You are ready to start organizing. If not, consider putting on an addition to your house or creating a new space in your basement or attic. If you are building a new space be sure to include doors to keep sound and distractions out. If expanding space at your home is not feasible, or if you live in an apartment, look into leasing or purchasing a shared office space. Even though you will have to commute, this could be beneficial for you if you need others to help stimulate you or you just like to have the company around when you are working. Leasing a shared office space is also a smart choice if you know you will not be able to separate your personal and work life easily.
Decorate appropriately
Now that you have chosen the best place for you to work, it is time to decorate!
- Choose the right color. If you need a boost to get working, consider painting your office a stimulating and invigorating color like yellow. Do you feel stressed when you work? Maybe a soft lavender or cool blue will help you relax. Green is always a smart choice for a work space as it is known for being a calm yet rejuvenating color. Green is also thought to help people get their creative juices flowing.
- Consider lighting. Lighting is an important aspect to an office. Choose something too bright and you could get migraines easily or not be able to focus. Choosing something too dim may put you to sleep and hinder productivity. The best thing to do is vary your lighting. An incandescent lamp has a lot of yellow in it, while a halogen lamp has more bluish white to it. If you use a mix of different bulbs, the effect will be more pleasing and stimulating to the eye.
- Add a personal touch. Make your office more home-like by adding picture of loved ones. This will keep you from feeling too stressed as you remember fun and relaxing times with family and friends. Paintings or professional photographs can also help to decrease your anxiety.
Get Organized
The most important day-to-day aspect of a home office is staying organized. Organization will help increase your productivity and help you feel less overwhelmed.
- Keep only the essentials on your desk. Your computer, phone, card holder and perhaps some paper/ folder files should be the only things on the top of your workspace. Put everything else in folders or other bins and store them drawers or cabinets.
- Use a variety of containers to organize your office supplies. There are plenty of stores that carry bins and containers for every shape and size from paper clips to hanging files. Managing papers and files can be made a lot simpler if you color code them or organize them alphabetically. Information is a lot easier to find if you know where to look!
- Keep an up-to-date calendar and to-do list. Having these simple organizers in a place that is easy to see will help make things easier when you need to set an appointment. To-do lists are key tools to use to make sure you keep setting goals for yourself.
