Before 2020, chances are, you thought home offices were not for you. I mean, who needs a home office? People, who run their own businesses? Well, like almost everything else, this logic has been turned on its head this year. It seems almost everyone is at least partly from home and, if predictions are to be believed, this may continue long after the pandemic is gone. Most of us, however, wasn’t kitted out to adjust to working from home and, instead, have had to adjust to working from our beds. If you’re looking to take your home office to the next level, here are some tips to get you started:

Light

(credit: homeofficeadventures.com)

At home, it’s easy to get yourself into the habit of working away in dimly lit rooms. However, this is likely to make you much more tired (and therefore less productive) than you would’ve been in your actual office! If possible, make sure to flood your home office with plenty of natural light all day or, otherwise, opt for lights that are in a brighter, colder, white!

Desk

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Perhaps the most obvious thing on the list; you need to get yourself a large desk with plenty of workspaces. Don’t settle for the dining room table if you don’t have to, instead get a beautiful workspace that complements your current environment and decor. If anything, this allows you to create a space for work that is separate from the space that you live in, meaning you can still “leave” work and reclaim some work-life balance. This will help you prevent burning-out and, ultimately, make you more productive. 

Chair

(credit: Time Magazine)

STOP! Put that dining room chair back to where it came from. For your back’s sake, and making sure you’re comfortable enough to not have to move around all day, get yourself the comfiest chair you can afford. One of the benefits of working from home is that you’re not resigned to whatever awful chair your work has bought. Grab this opportunity. Get the chair of your dreams.

Supplies

(credit: Emiliano Aranguren) 

Chances are, your go-to for stationary was your office. No longer can you rely on the office as an endless free source of paper and pens. Make sure your desk drawers are filled to the brim with all of the pens, papers, staplers, (staples!), folders, and hole punchers you will ever need.