Are you planning to set up a home office? A home office is important for people who spend most of their time at home working. There can be distractions that disrupt your workflow while working at home, So having a home office will allow you to concentrate and work in peace.
The increased cost of living, commute struggles or the freedom to work productively in your own space are some of the reasons why many employees around the world are more interested in working remotely from the comfort of their own home.
When coming to set up a home office many get confused on how to set their workspace at home and often end up messing it. So it is important to have a plan and checklist of the necessities you would need in your home office. Working at home can get lonely and boring so it is important to have a professional workspace in your home to increase your productivity.
If you’re a business owner there would be a lot to catch up on weekends relating to your work and having a workspace will keep you constantly motivated and will assist you in finishing up your tasks on time. Making your workspace elegant and homely can be a daunting process. From office furniture to supplies there is a lot to choose and you’re work doesn’t end there you must arrange them too.
So here are a few essentials you would need while setting up your home office.
Desk
Your desk is where you would be spending most of your time when you’re in the home office. So, make sure to pick a desk that is adjustable and comfortable. With an adjustable desk, you can work comfortably as it switches in between standing and sitting positions. You can find these types of desks in both online like this website and offline stores. Always keep your desk organized with little clutter.
Chair
If you think a chair is not an essential item then you’re wrong. This is where you would sit all day while working, attending a video call meeting or while you meet people. So it is important to have ergonomic chairs that are comfortable and increase your work productivity. Try out different chairs before you choose “The One”. If you’re not in a comfortable chair it may affect your concentration or worse it may give rise to spinal issues. So invest in a comfortable chair to work comfortably for a long time.
Ventilation
If you’re a new business owner, you would have a lot to deal with so you would be working most of the time. It is important to work in a space where you would receive adequate lighting and ventilation. If not it may have adverse effects on your health. You should be exposed to the sunlight. Working in poor lighting can cause frequent headaches and eye strain. So make sure your home office has good lighting conditions and ventilation to let some natural light inside.
VPN
If you’re a newly set up business or a freelancer then you would not need VPN (Virtual Private Network). But if you working remotely for a company, then your employer should set up a VPN.
When working in a company there would so many important files and documents that you have to review or prepare on a daily basis. So it is important to review or access these files from a safe link. Sometimes companies will provide employees with a laptop to work when they’re working remotely to save ensure the data from spam filters, anti-viruses etc.
Computer
Working without a computer is impossible now. People are used to working either on a computer or laptop and now with technological advancements, people are making their work process more digital than before. All the security and storage concerns are now reduced because of it.
So having a computer that suits your business needs is important. And it is better to have a computer even when you have a laptop, as researching or reviewing is performed easily on a computer. Depending on your work and business nature it is better to have dual monitors if necessary.
Internet services
From entertainment to work everything is online. Working remotely also needs you to have a broadband connection. To work efficiently and finish your tasks on time you must be connected to the internet. To save time and effort most businesses are opting for video call meetings, in such cases, it is mandatory for you to have a broadband network that is fast and secure.
Printer and Scanner
Your home office should be equipped with all the equipment available in your office. Printer and scanner are one of such equipment. The convenience of working in a company is you can get access to machinery such as printers and scanners.
Even when you’re motto is to work paperless, there are few unavoidable situations where you must scan, print or make copies of a document. In such situations, you can’t run in between your work to get this small errands done, so it is better to have them in your home office.
Power Backup
You can never predict a power outage, So it is important to be always prepared for such situations. What if you’re in the middle of an important meeting or you’re working on some deadline. To avoid such situations you must always equip your home office with power back-up.
Even when the electricity is gone you can still continue your work and It is safe to connect your system to UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply). It provides you with buffer time to save your work before your desktop completely shuts down due to electricity.
Office Supplies
It is always important to have office supplies in your home office. You may think that you can store your information in the notes app. When you’re out in public, notes app may help you in remembering things. But while working in your office having handwritten sticky notes will help you in remembering the job you must finish.
Not only stick notes, but you must also maintain a stock of pens, papers, notes, business cards, folders, ink, staplers etc. Always store little extra pens or books in your home office. You never know when you will run out of them.
File Cabinet
While working in your personal workspace you would have a lot of confidential documents that you would like to store safely away from the public eye and so documents that you refer on a daily basis. You can’t just place them randomly in your office, there are high chances of you misplacing or losing a document. Having a file cabinet in your office is the perfect solution. You can store all the important files in the cabinet or shelf in order so that you won’t misplace them.
Safe
Businesses have documents with confidential details that cannot be disclosed and they need protection. You can store such confidential documents in a safe protected by a password which only you can access. Consider purchasing a fire-proof safe, to protect your documents. If you plan on going paperless you must save your hard copy documents so that you would find them in case of need.
Decor
The best part of having your own home office is that you can decorate it as you wish. Hire an interior designer or design it yourself. Add paintings to the wall, get some plants or create a wall with all the things that inspire you.
Adding all these items to your office space can enrich your its ambience. Use diffuse scents or essential oils in your office, all of this can help you in reducing the stress and working creatively.
Fire Safety
It is better to be safe than sorry, as your home office consists of many important documents you must have a fire-prevention system installed. When there is a fire break-out the systems sends you an alert. You can save the documents or stop the fire from spreading.
Paper Shredder
Daily you deal with a lot of paperwork in your home office. These papers include both confidential and non-confidential information. So, it is not safe to throw them into a recycle bin. You must have a shredder to destroy these documents that consist of important information about your business.
Surge Protectors & Back up drivers
Every home office with lots of equipment should definitely have surge protectors. You have invested a lot of money in your office equipment and surge protectors will protect your devices from any type of electrical surges.
Once your home office is all set and you start working you would need in-house data backup options to save and protect your data. You can use cloud-based services but it is better to have personal servers or external drives to save your data.
Conclusion
Essential items for your office space doesn’t end here. These are some of the essentials, depending on your work and the space you allocate for your home office. Your essentials may increase or decrease. But it is better to create a checklist of all the necessary items. Add all the essential items and make your home office efficient and streamlined.
