Let’s face it: before the Coronavirus outbreak struck the nation, more than 5 million Americans were already working from home. Now, that number has likely skyrocketed as people who ‘could’ work from home (but didn’t) are now forced to. If you are new to working remotely, it may be difficult to know how to get the perfect home office setup for you.
That’s where we come in. If you’re looking for tips for working remotely, take a look at our productivity and office setup guide today!
Tricks to Make the Transition
For those of you who are working from home for the first time, you’ve come to the right place. We understand how difficult it can be to make the transition, so that is why we have a few tips for working from home up to our sleeves.
Here’s the thing. It’s not uncommon for you to feel anxious, frustrated, or isolated at first.
On the flip side, some of you may be feeling energized, relax, or relieved. Wherever you are on the emotional spectrum, it is important to give yourself some time to adjust to this challenging transition.
One of the first things you should do is set an alarm to take a stretch break every half hour or so. Even those of you who work at a standing desk can benefit from walking around your home while talking with a colleague or a friend.
Another word of advice is to take a 30-minute scheduled lunch break away from your computer.
In addition to this, it is a great idea to stick to your office hours, whether you are “in the office” or not. Better yet, ask your roommates or family members not to disturb you during the working hours either. If you are not a fan of confrontation, just tape a simple “Do Not Disturb sign” on your door.
Pro tip: it doesn’t hurt to buy a white noise app or machine to reduce noisy interruptions in your at-home office.
Besides this, you’ve got to have the comfiest, ergonomic office chair that you can get your hands on. Plus, finding a hands-free headset is a super useful addition too. Problem solved!
Tips for Working Remotely
When it comes to tips for working from home, we’ve got you covered. First things first, it never hurts to over-communicate with your colleagues. This is particularly true if you have two members of different ages on your conference call or email conversation.
While you’re at it, it pays to know your new work policies for remote workers too. Has your company has made you work from home due to the Coronavirus? If that’s the case, your human resources department has probably sent out guidelines or handbooks for you to review during this time.
What better time than now than to look over all this essential paperwork?
Also, if you’re a manager at your company, it’s important to let your team members know how they can get in touch with you as well. So, this can include letting them know if you prefer to communicate via:
- Text
- Instant message
- Skype
- Zoom
Again, the only mistake that you can make is not communicating with your team members. Additionally, it is a smart idea to let your coworkers know when the best time to reach you will be.
For example, do you prefer to check in during the morning or in the middle of the afternoon? The sooner that you let your colleagues know what your time preferences are, the better. This is especially the case if they work in a completely different time zone than you do!
Setting Up Your Home Office
And now, for the fun part: setting up your home office. Before we dive in, you should know that having a proper workstation is more than just a chair and a desk. The way you furnish or decorate your home office will set you up for success for weeks (or months) to come.
To begin, choose the space in your house that is the best location for your office. If you’re lucky enough you may be able to relocate to an empty basement or even an empty corner of your bedroom will suffice. Otherwise, setting up shop at your kitchen table is a more space-friendly idea.
Additional ideas include the following:
- Unused corners
- Large closets
- Under the stairs
To be quite honest with you, all that it takes is some creativity to get the job done. That said, there’s no harm in purchasing a room divider to separate your office from your home if possible. Even better, hang up a curtain from a rod or the ceiling to give you some privacy for your office. If you don’t have a space you can comfortably make into an office, you may (depending on your means and budget) consider adding a home office. Ideally though, you will already have some space suitable for work and privacy when needed.
Also, think about who else will be using the furniture in the space along with you. For instance, will you share your office with your kids to do homework? Is your partner also working from home?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you might want to pick up a desk setup that can fit two people at once. And even though you may not have clients stopping by for a while, it’s always nice to add some chairs or seating to your office for others in your household.
Your Work Setups Is Key to Office Productivity
Looking for more tips for working remotely?
Fortunately for you, we’ve got exactly what you are looking for. We can’t emphasize this enough: a clean and organized work set up is the key to office productivity. Now that you know what to do, good luck!
Searching for Stressless ergonomic office chairs? Don’t wait – call us for the best price today!
