Creating a workspace at home is very important if you want to start working from home because it will help you to avoid certain interruptions and distractions that might come from several sources and avenues while you are performing a task.
Aside from avoiding interruptions and distractions while working from home, having your own dedicated workspace is a source of motivation because it will give you the zeal to get down to work whenever the need calls for it.
As a matter of fact, creating a workspace at home cuts across everyone who is working from home, whether online or offline.
But before we go into this article properly, let us see why it is important to have a dedicated workspace at home.
Why it is important to have a dedicated workspace at home.
Having a dedicated workspace at home will help you to avoid interruptions and distractions that characterize the home and in so doing be able to stay focused and motivated to carry out your jobs and perform your tasks effectively.
How to create a workspace at home.
Traditionally you can create a workspace at home by using a space either in your bedroom or sitting room, or finding a separate home office space if you have a spare room, store, or garage.
Now let me show you how to create your workspace using these 2 methods.
How to create a workspace in your bedroom or sitting room.
The best way to create a workspace in your bedroom or sitting room is to dedicate a corner away from your bed and close to the window, if possible, then keep a small desk that will accommodate your computer or laptop, and also keep a chair you are going to sit on.
Below are some ways you can customize the workspace in your bedroom or sitting room:
- Ensure your table has storage where you can safely keep all your working equipment and tools. You can as well use mugs, cups, and even tin cans as storage too.
- Paint your workspace area with a different color from the one you have in the entire room.
- Set up good lighting in your bedroom workspace in case you want to work at night. You can open the window for lighting and ventilation when working during the day if your workspace is close to it.
- Place an artwork on the area with a symbol or motivational words you love the most.
- You can also place a different rug or different tiling to indicate your room’s workspace.
How to create a separate home office space.
To create a separate home office space, you need to find a spare room, store, or garage you are going to furnish and set up with office equipment and tools.
It is worth noting that creating a separate home office space will require some capital to do the furnishing as well as buy the office equipment and tools unless you have old items you are going to use in the meantime.
Below are some of the measures you may use to furnish your home office space:
- Paint the walls with your favorite color.
- Incorporate wall arts that have images, symbols, and words that motivate you the most.
- Make sure you have a desk and chair in your home office. You can purchase a desk that has some form of a cupboard and lock where you can safely keep your equipment and tools after you finish using them.
- In addition to your cupboard, you can also place a cup or tin can on your desk to enable you to keep small items like your pen, pencil, ruler, etc.
- You can also make use of some small shelves that will help you store books and other materials you will need while working.
- Ensure the lighting in your home office is very good. You can also keep a table light on your desk to make your workspace more brighter.
- Even if you are not working from home online, make sure you have a computer or laptop and printers in your home office. The computer and laptop will help you to store several information about your business, while the printer will help you to print out certain documents that need to be dispatched.
Things you will need in a home office.
Basically, the things you will need in your home office are going to depend on the kind of industry or work-from-home jobs you are undertaking as well as if you are working online or offline.
The list I am going to give below is going to be random and from I the explanations you can make your selections by putting into consideration your job or industry.
- Desk. There is no way you are going to skip getting a desk in your home office because you will require it to do several things like keep your computer/laptop and other equipment as well as write on it.
- Chair. You must have at least 3 chairs, one for yourself and the other two for your clients.
- File cabinet. You can get a file cabinet that will help you to arrange all your important files and documents to avoid them being stolen or torn.
- Computer or laptop. You will need a computer or laptop in your home office to enable you to store all your vital documents. Gone are the days we used to write everything on paper and if they are burnt we lost everything, but with a computer, you can store all your documents on a cloud source like Google Cloud where you can access it anywhere on any other device.
- Network router/Wifi. These things are going to help you to get an internet connection in your office.
- Printer/ink. There are also vital documents you will be sending out that need to be shared with a client. It is the printer that will enable you to print every kind of document. Ensure you also have a refilling ink in case it runs out at any given time.
- Photocopying machine. After printing out your documents they might need a backup and it is a photocopy machine that will enable you to do so.
- Notepad. It is the notepad that will help you to jot down critical information, set your schedule or write whatever is important down.
- Calendar. Aside from knowing the date, the calendar will also enable you to indicate your timings and schedules.
- A scanner. A scanner will help you to scan photos and other documents that will not require to be retyped.
- Stapler. Whenever you want to bind two or more documents, it is the stapler that will enable you to do so.
- Scissors. The scissors will help you to trim papers or documents into the shape that you want.
- Calculator. The calculator will help you to immediately get a total sum of whatever you want.
- Pen/pencil. It is the pen and pencil that will help you to write on a notepad or paper as well as sketch whatsoever you want.
- Pencil sharpener. When the pencil mouth is gone, you will use the pencil sharpener and sharpen the pencil.
- Eraser/correcting fluid. Sometimes you will be liable to make mistakes when writing on a notepad and paper, and it is the eraser and correcting fluid that will help you to wipe off those errors.
- Envelopes. You will use the envelopes for sending out letters that are vital to your business.
- Waste bin. The waste bin will help you keep your office tidy because every piece of paper, water and drink bottles, etc will be dumped here and at the end of the day, you empty it in the trash outside.
- Artwork. For your wall decoration, you can get artwork that has your favorite images, symbols, quotes, etc. This really helps to boost your motivation when you are working from home.
What qualifies as a home office?
Basically, a home office is the main location or place set aside by remote workers to carry out their jobs and tasks as well as meet and interact with their clients and customers.
Can I use a home office for 2 businesses?
Sure, you can use your home office for even more than two businesses considering the fact that it is your working space as well as a place you can meet and interact with various customers.
For instance, I am a blogger, digital marketer, videographer/editor, farmer, etc. And when you visit my niche sites you will discover that I have just one address which is basically at my home office.
So anyone that wants to physically contact me on any of my job and profession can visit the one and same address. Thus it is not the address that matters but rather the nature of the business I am going to discuss with my respective clients.
Final thoughts.
Getting a workspace at home is really going to depend on your budget, and even if you can afford a cheap desk and chair to set up a home workspace in your bedroom, go ahead and do so while keeping in mind that if you become a successful remote worker, you will be able to afford all those things and even more.
Moreover, the key to success as a remote worker does not lie in your home workspace but in your skills and ability to carry out your work diligently from home.
Good luck!
