Things to Improve your Home Office

With the lockdowns of 2020, many of us were relocated to working from home, and it looks like many of us will still be working from home during part or all 2021. If you are one of those who now have a home office, there are a few things you can do to help improve it for the new year.

First, get a better office chair.

Just like at your normal office, you will be sitting a good majority of the time. Having a good, comfortable chair is important. An ergonomics study found that those with an ergonomic office chair reported fewer negative symptoms (back pain, tense muscles, etc.) throughout the day and a 17.7% increase in productivity.

Shop our office chairs here.

Obviously, make sure you have a desk.

If you don’t have one already, a desk is necessary. It helps separate work time from home time. If you already have a desk, consider upgrading or getting a standing desk. Standing desks are growing in popularity because they allow you to stretch your muscles and continue to work at the same time. They also help fight the risks of diabetes and weight gain.

Looking for a desk? Find one here.

Declutter.

If your work requires a lot of documents and printing but doesn’t require you to keep them long term, consider getting a shredder or look into scheduling a shredding service. This way you protect old data and keep your work area clean and tidy, which helps productivity.

Let there be Light.

Getting a good desk light helps fight eyestrain from computer monitors and other screens that can lead to fatigue, headaches, and blurred vision. It has also been suggested to set up your home office in a place where you can have natural light. Studies have shown that exposure to natural light during the day has a positive effect on mental and physical health. If we learned anything from 2020, it’s that mental and physical health is of the utmost importance.

Here are some lights to consider.

Upgrade your Equipment.

Keep a work computer separate from your home computer. Invest in a second computer. If you’re not able to have a second computer, consider getting a second monitor. Having a second monitor can help your workflow. While you are upgrading your computer set up, consider upgrading your little home printer with something that is more professional grade.

Computers - check; printers - check.

Add a little green to your environment.

We aren’t talking about painting your office green. Adding some plants to your environment have shown to increase happiness and reduce stress, AND according to one study, increase productivity by as much as 15%! If you decide to get a few plants, consider getting those that are easy to maintain and help improve air quality such as spider plants, dracaenas, ficus, and Boston ferns.

Crank Up the Speed.

Having a powerful and high-speed internet connection is an absolute must when working from home. It’s not only necessary for your day to day duties but for also any video conference calls and more. For better Wi-Fi signal strength, place your router high off the ground and in the center of your house. Also, make sure there aren’t any devices or appliances near it that can cause signal disruption such as microwaves and home phone sets.

Cancel out the Noise

You may not be the only one working from home in your household. You may even have kids that are doing virtual schooling. Invest in a pair of good noise-canceling headphones to help you focus.

Consider these beats.

Lastly, Maintain Office Hours.

Yes, even if you are working from home, it is important to maintain office like hours to help you separate your work time from your home time. Having structured hours improves productivity and keeps an established work-life balance that may seem lost in working from home. If you don’t keep set hours, you may slowly find yourself working when you could be with your family.

If you need help setting up your home office in any way, contact your IMS Broker. You can upgrade almost anything your home office may need with your trade dollars. Save your cash and upgrade on trade!