Having a home office is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, you are in a comfortable familiar environment you can tweak to your liking and everything you need is within hand’s reach. On the other hand, you begin to equate the job-related stress with the homely environment. No matter how you look at it, a home office is a perfect way of doing business for some kinds of professions. So, if you count yourself among these, here are some essentials for home office life.
When you come down to it
Once you decide which part of the house will serve as your office, you will need three crucial elements. These are the backbone of every office. The crucial elements you will need are a comfortable chair, a work desk and a computer. Of course, this doesn’t mean you should consider these to be the only essentials.
A comfy chair
Since you are about to bring the job into your home, you need to purchase the most comfortable chair there is. After all, you will spend at least a third of your day sitting on it. The seating part needs to have a smooth, waterfall front edge to keep the blood to your knees flowing and back support should reflect the natural posture of your body. Armrests are not essential; in fact, they can present a nuisance since they are constrictive. However, do not even bother to buy a chair without a height-adjustment option.
A reliable desk
As far as work desk goes, the most important thing is style – the look of the desk should reflect the nature of the business. The top of the desk should be spacious enough to allow the setup of several areas. First, there is a place for your computer right in front of you, the spaces left and right should be pen-and-paper spots. Leave enough space on the other end, where the client will stand or sit. This will leave the impression you are open for their ideas and their case. Do not clutter your work desk with personal items, as it will make you seem unprofessional and disorganized.
A trusty computer
The final crucial element you need is a computer. A desktop computer is a regular and reliable choice, after all, it is not going anywhere – this is your home office. However, many people opt for laptops due to their portability. In a way, your computer is your office, so keeping it mobile might be a better option, no matter what type of business you are running. Slowly but surely, tablets are turning into multitasking office computers, and it is smart to follow this global trend, if for no other reason than for its practicality.
Add things to spice it up
Of course, with only these three elements, the office itself would look quite barren and maybe even hostile. Since you’ll spend a lot of time here, you need to make it comfortable. First of all, add a chair on the other side of the desk, opposite of you, so that clients have where to sit. A nice, warm lamp on top of the desk will probably be useful when the overtime kicks in and stretches into the evening. Even small trinkets that seem excessive can mean a lot.
Memory foam wrist rest will keep your typing and mouse wielding arm’s stamina up. You can circumvent several steps of printing with Dymo LabelWriter 450, which will, once connected to the computer, print labels directly from the software, save printing paper and eliminate the cost of ink. Even a small plant placed in a tasteful pot can liven the place up just enough without turning it into something too informal.
The beauty of home office lies in the fact you can customize it to your heart’s content. Nothing stops you from redecorating the entire work environment to your own liking and this goes for home office essentials and trinkets. However, be careful not to overdo it. You need to stay focused and disciplined and your home office will be your main ally.
