How to Improve Your Work from Home Setup

Many of us have found ourselves working from home a little more lately. It can be brilliant for those who need to be at home for their family, for people who live a long way from work and get to save hours on their commute, and for those of us who just really enjoy working in pyjamas. Whatever group you fit into though, it might be that you’ve noticed your productivity slacking since making the change to working from home. One of the reasons for this is that a work-from-home office is often a little less conducive to, well, work. We’ve got some tips on how to transform your workspace, not only to ensure that you remain productive, but also to make sure that you prioritise your health and happiness.

Make Time For Movement

One of the big mistakes that we make when working from home is sitting down to work all day long and not fitting in any time to move around. In an office setting there’s often a long enough walk between the cafeteria and your desk to really stretch your legs. Perhaps in your office you take it in turns to do the coffee run, meaning that when it’s your go, again your legs get a good stretch. If you can get out and have a walk on your lunch break then that’s brilliant, but even easier is to build five minutes into every hour period to stretch your legs.

These five minutes can help you to avoid all kinds of health issues and, if you want to take it even further, stretch out your whole body. Although this five minute filler yoga practice was designed for poker players, it works perfectly for anyone working from a desk too! All you need is a yoga mat, or a towel will suffice, and enough room to lay down flat in. As well as being good for your body, yoga is great for your mental health too. You might even notice yourself feeling more motivated for work after your stretches.

Create an Actual Office Space

If working from home is a very temporary measure then it might be necessary to weigh up the costs and benefits of setting up an actual office space in your house. However, if you know that you’ll be working from home for some time then it’s definitely worth it. A good chair that supports your back is the most essential purchase; you can pick them up relatively cheaply from shops that have outlets in all kinds of towns, like Argos, or you can really go to town on something flashy. Once your chair is settled, a desk is the next great idea. You can find an on-the-lap desk if you’re on a budget, or something to fit your aesthetic if money isn’t too tight. Finally, a calm, quiet corner of your home is the perfect place to make your office. In busy houses, finding this space can be more difficult, so you could even consider wearing some noise-cancelling headphones to allow yourself to really concentrate.

Allocate Office Hours

Whether you’re living with housemates, your husband, or anyone else at all, sometimes it can be hard to get people to understand that when you’re working, you’re not available for anything else. Designated office hours seem to totally confuse many house sharers and, whilst it’s nice that people want to chat to you, it’s not conducive to concentration. Instead of politely engaging in all conversations, make a note of your office hours and gently ask the others in the house to respect them.

During your allocated hours why not try some productivity techniques to see if you can boost your output a little? The Pomodoro technique is very popular in all sectors because it breaks your day up into manageable chunks, allowing you to complete tasks quickly and thoroughly by tapping into your ability to concentrate intensely for short periods of time.