Home Sweet Home Office
In the past, I always considered the home office to be a kind of luxury. It was a place to sort through mail and pay some bills, but it wasn’t a critical space. I have done home offices for professionals who worked out of their homes to some extent, but that wasn’t generally the norm. These days, though, most of us are beginning to see the home office as a necessity.
In the early days of the pandemic, my husband was sent to work from home for “two weeks.” We set him up in our finished basement with a folding table and an old office chair. As the weeks turned into months, his temporary set-up literally became a pain in the neck. We didn’t account for the issues that could arise from working in an ergonomically poor desk situation. Fortunately, we moved during all of this, and our new house has enough room for both of us to have a dedicated office space. Since we were ordering new office furniture for me anyway, we got him a real desk at the same time. His new desk is an appropriate height and includes a lower keyboard tray to encourage better posture. We also sprang for a new chair. This ergonomically sound set-up has really eased his back and neck pain.
Over the past year, working from home has gone from being a temporary fix to a more permanent situation. Many people are still wondering when they will return to their offices. Quite a few may never return as employers realize the benefits of letting employees work from home. Whatever the case may be, our temporary home office solutions probably won’t stand the test of time. Laptops propped on coffee tables or couches, or the dining room table (in my case), are not suited for the long haul. It’s time for an upgrade.
Your home office doesn’t need to be elaborate, nor does it need to be an actual office. Here are a few pointers:
Consider proper posture - make sure your work surface is at a comfortable height, so you aren’t slumping over or having to hunch your shoulders.
Allow yourself space to work - if you need to spread out documents or drawings, make sure you have a clear, flat surface to do so.
Lighting - it’s common sense, but make sure that your space is adequately lit, even if you’re staring at a glowing computer screen.
Privacy - if you make a lot of phone calls or handle sensitive information, find a quiet space with a door to block off the rest of the house.
Personalize it - make the space your own with photos, posters, knick-knacks, or whatever makes you happy.
Whether you’re working from home temporarily, or it’s now your permanent situation, a comfortable work space can make all the difference!
My actual office space…no, it’s not usually this clean!
