By Frank Assu, FlexGC Network Member and Free Agent
This post has been updated from Frank’s original blog “Home Offices” posted in March 2020. Thank you for the excellent tips, Frank!
Your pre-COVID19 work context probably had a lot of impact on whether you had a smooth transition to working from home. If you were working from home full or part-time previously, you might have already had a great home office set up. If not — or if you hadn’t yet set one up — then we have some suggestions.
One of the most basic things you can do for yourself to make working from home easier is to make sure your home office/workstation set up is working for you.
We are all working under different contexts. Some of you may have the space for a standalone office (maybe even with a door or window, perhaps). Others, like myself, may have a nice desk setup, but in a shared space. Some of you may be alone. Others are sharing space with partners and kids.
Regardless of your context, there are a few things you can do to help optimize your work from home space.
Free/low cost ideas:
Make sure you’re in a space with good lighting. This can help with your energy and ease eye strain. You’ll feel even better if you can set yourself up near natural light from a window, or perhaps even outside in nicer weather. Good lighting also helps with videoconferences (and is essential if you want to use a background or blur effect).
If you’re working in a bright open space with an uncluttered background, find a virtual background you love and use it during videoconferences. These will help hide those kids (or partners) running around in the background. (Although we fully encourage embracing the chaos of family life at work!)
If you won’t be back in the office any time soon, see if you can get approval to pick up a second monitor, desk chair, or other equipment from your office.
Keep everything you need for the day within reach. Set up near an electrical outlet and keep your writing utensils, notebook/paper, headset, water bottle, healthy snacks, and anything else you use frequently handy. I like a clean desk policy so that you begin and end your day with a clean desk. This is especially important if you can’t close the door on your workspace. Out of sight = out of mind, letting you get the mental break you need from work after hours.
Find a consistent routine/hours that work from you. If possible, set yourself an end time to the day and after this point, turn off/put away your work devices. Even if a swiss cheese schedule is what works best for you and your family — decide on a quit-by time and stick to it so you can turn your brain off at the end of your day.
Get dressed. You don’t have to wear “work” clothes everyday but wear what’s comfortable and presentable for you. This will help with getting in the mindset to work each day, make it easier to pop outside for some fresh air during a break, and keep you on your toes for videoconferences.
Have set breaks, especially for lunch. If you can, get outside for some fresh air. A short walk, or burst of activity can do wonders for both your mental health and your productivity.
Set yourself reminders to drink water and move around. It’s easy to get lost in the computer screen when you’re having a productive day and these reminders will help you keep your health on track.
Take time to connect with others, especially for non-work related discussions.
Ideas that require money:
No one wants to spend money on office equipment but given the amount of time you may be spending at home these days, there are a few investments you could make to increase your comfort (and health) if you can afford it (and assuming your employer hasn’t offered to pay for it).
If you have the budget and space, a sit/stand desk is a great investment in your comfort. If you don’t have a large, dedicated space a table top stand desk option can be nice too.
If you can’t pick up your chair from the office, and don’t already have a solid office chair at home, you might consider investing in a good office chair.
If you do a lot of videoconferences, or if you share bandwidth with others in your household, it may be worth looking at your wifi plan to make sure you have enough bandwidth.
If you type a lot or have a lot of videoconferences, some small but mighty equipment may make a big difference for you. This could include:
- A tablet stand so you can elevate your tablet (and your web cam) for a better angle during videoconferences
- A wireless keyboard and mouse combo with a dongle that connects to your computer/tablet (just verify with your IT department that these would work, since some departments don’t allow any USB devices, and once you’ve plugged it in, you won’t be able to return it)
- A headset that reduces background noise
If you switch between screens often, a second monitor is invaluable. Hopefully this is something that can be provided by your organization, but if not, it may be worth the investment for you (especially if you can use it for non-work activities too).
I hope you find these tips help you build a great foundation for a successful home office.
Work hard but try to have fun, too!
