Work from home is a new normal. Love it or hate it, it is going to stay here for a while. Well, at least until coronavirus is done mutating and producing new variants. COVID has somehow managed to change our entire lifestyle in a snap. The jobs we thought couldn’t be done from home, are now smoothly being performed from the comfort of home. 

Many companies are even considering giving their employees an option to work from home post-pandemic. 

Working from home is fun until we find ourselves in an embarrassing situation in front of our colleagues. Throughout the pandemic, we have seen many videos of people getting caught up in such situations and getting viral. It’s a good laugh but seriously hope that we or even our worst enemies dont get in that situation.

And since work from home is a new culture, we should definitely consider making a workspace for ourselves.

Why Do We Need A Dedicated Workspace At Home?

There are plenty of reasons to have a dedicated workspace for us. 

1. Gives you a feel of office

We all miss the office, that’s for sure. Having a working space at our office is such a good feeling.  A dedicated workspace at home is even though not a complete replacement but still good enough to give you an office vibe at home. 

2. Makes you look professional

At the video conference, dedicated workspaces at home leave an impression of professionalism on others. Doesn’t matter what bottoms you are weaning but as long as you are seated in an office looking area with a tie and jacket, you’ll get the score for your professionalism.

3. Uninterrupted work

Working from home can be tricky if you are living with family. A little time you spend here and there leads to procrastination which could impact your work and performance. A dedicated workspace will avoid all distractions which take your time during work and will help create a better balance between your work life and personal life at home.`

4. Prevents unnecessary dramas

A dedicated workspace is your space. In the hours of video meets you can avoid any mishap happening as nobody would like to walk into your at-home office space. Save yourself from a lot of drama!.

How To Make Your Work From Home Set-Up?

1. Find a place

If you have a spare room which could be used as your office then it’s time to use that room and convert it into your office. But if you don’t have it, then don’t worry. We got you a plan.

Locate the spot on your house where your productivity is the highest. It should be away from what you feel are your potential distractions. It should be a little away from where the rest of the family is so that while working, you are not distracted by the rest of the people in your home. 

Note– If you have kids at home then it’s tricky to find a space from where you can supervise them while they are studying or playing and also have minimum distractions. In that case, we recommend, creating a space where everyone can do their ‘work’ together. For example- you use the kitchen and they use the dining table which is nearby.

2. Lighting

The next important thing for your work from home set-up is proper lighting. Try to find yourself a spot which has good natural lightening probably near a window. It has an uplifting effect on your moods which directly relates to your productivity. In long hours of work, you need to keep your eye health in check and proper lightening prevents eye strains. However, if you don’t have a space that has the best natural lighting, then you could install some good functional lights.  You can use overhead lighting, a lamp on your desk or a floor lamp. Depending on the space you have and the budget you want to spend, make your choices with the lights. 

Note- If after working on the first day of your new space your eyes feel overly tired, you might need to upgrade your lighting game. Try adding another source of light or adjust the position of the current lighting.

3. Furniture

It is work from home and a lot of us has made it work from bed. It seems very comfortable but in long run, you’ll feel what you have done to your body. Working in uncomfortable positions leads to bad postures, neck pains and spine-related issues. It is strongly advised to have a space which has the furniture suitable to your needs. 

A good desk and a chair are all you need for your work from the home set-up. Ergonomic office chairs offer the correct support when you’re sitting for long hours. Or basically finding a chair that is comfortable and provides back support is ideal. You don’t have to buy one if you are not willing to make another investment or don’t have the extra space for it. Just use your dining table or any other chair or table at home which is comfortable to work on.

You can find some affordable furniture from ikea or pepperfry.

4. Good internet connection-

One of the most important things which we need during work from home is a good internet connection. Make sure, the spot you are using at your home gets the best internet. You don’t want your video conferences to get stuck on the most crucial part.

5. Get all essentials

Make sure your workspace is conveniently located near a power outlet, or look for a multi-plug extension cord so you can plug in everything you’ll need—computer, phone, printer—at the same time.

You might add cushions, snacks, backrests and whatever else you feel makes you comfortable in your essentials list.

6. Decorate your space

Decorate and personalize the space as much as you want. This does not include having a life-size picture of you or of your pet or a mirror in the backdrop. You can use houseplants, pictures frames, pen stands, paperweights, aromatic candles and everything else that makes your workspaces yours.

7. Test your space out

Make sure before you use, you test out your space. From your backdrop to your internet connectivity, check out everything that works and does not work for you and make changes accordingly.

Things To Keep In Mind When Making Your Work From Home Set-Up

 1.Give Your Comfort the Upmost Priority. 

Even though work from home is a temporary situation we strongly advise to keep your comfort your priority. We should avoid habits that could trouble us in the long run. Investing in good office furniture is a good option and we highly recommend that. 

 2. Support Your Neck and Eyes

Don’t forget to help out your neck and eyes, too. Make sure you’ve got your laptop or monitor positioned well. Follow some of these tips to help you get it right:

• Your spine should always stay in a neutral position.
• The top of the screen should be at or slightly below eye level.
• Place the monitor at least 20 inches from your eyes, farther away if you’ve got a large monitor.
• Your eyes should look slightly down when looking at the middle of the screen to help keep your neck in proper alignment. 

3. Cable management

You are going to have a lot of wires everywhere. Although it is your WFH space, it is still a part of your home. It should look tidy and organized all the time. And for that, make sure you have proper cable management. It’s a good practice and avoids any accidents from happening. Especially if you have kids or pets, then be super-mindful with your wires. Invest in a good cord management system and that will be a gamechanger. 

Make your space yours and enjoy working from home.

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