So you’ve taken the plunge, you are now working at home. Great!
You’ll get an extra hour in bed as there will be no tedious commutes to work.
You can work in your pyjamas and kiss goodbye to having to constantly update your office wardrobe. You can have breaks whenever you want without having to worry your tendency to be at the coffee machine more than at your desk is being frowned upon by your boss! This is going to be great!
Working from home might sound like a luxury that was once confined to company CEOs and directors but is it as easy and lavish as first perceived? In short, how do you organise your home office to guarantee your working day is productive and your business thrives?
With the rise of Wi-Fi, remote telecommunications and videoconferencing, it has never been easier to work from home and be well-connected to the business world.
The stats talk for themselves. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), in the first three months of 2014 there were 4.2 million homeworkers in the UK, the highest level since records began. These figures include those who work at home and those who work in different locations and use their home as a base.
So if you are one of the millions, or are thinking about joining the millions of homeworkers in the UK, take a look at the following advice on how to organise your home office to help breed productivity and creativity.
Don’t scrimp on office furniture
It might be tempting to beaver away at your laptop from underneath your duvet on the settee but this won’t do your posture or ‘professionalism’ any favours. Investing in a quality desk and a comfortable chair will ensure your homerun business is ran from a professional environment. It will also help you maintain good posture through the working day.
Organise your documents and stationery efficiently
Don’t make life more difficult for yourself by having papers stacked in a disorderly manner. This won’t do your business, or sanity, any favours. As Lisa Tilse, a designer, crafter and avid homeworker recommends, have a document tray, folders and a stack of small notebooks.
Store important papers and documents in folder systems and either put them in drawers in the desk or in storage boxes close by.
Get a moodboard
Lisa also recommends putting a moodboard up on the wall above your desk. A moodboard is essentially a board which comprises of text, images and important notes. Not only can such a board prove imperative in reminding homeworkers of vital daily, weekly and even monthly tasks, but it can also be a source of inspiration.
Have water close by to maximise productivity
If there is one thing you might have noticed when working in a ‘traditional’ office environment, nearly every office has a water tank present in the office, designed to give employees and visitors free cups of water.
According to Staples, within every business, it is estimated that employers can lose as much as ten hours every week from every individual employee due to decreased productivity. Hydration can be responsible for some of the lost productivity. When you become dehydrated it can be impossible to concentrate and work, hence why almost every office has a water supply it in.
The same principle is applied to whether you work from a ‘conventional’ office or from home. Ensure you stay well hydrated and ‘on top of your game’ by having a jug of water constantly on your desk, or better still, a water dispenser present in your home office.
Don’t be afraid to move out of your home office
Working life might have become cosy and convenient from your home office, but what you really crave is banter and some valuable networking to give your business a boost.
As we wrote in an earlier blog, networking is an indispensable component of contemporary business growth, no matter what industry you work in or what size of business you have built up.
When working from the convenient confines of your home office, networking with potential clients and potential talented employees and outsourcers is nigh impossible.
If your business has reached a point where it requires some growth or if you miss the banter of office life, it might be time to move to hot desking or shared office space.
Co-working on a hot desk or shared office space comes with multiple benefits. It will enable you to establish yourself in a competitive environment. Most co-working centres such as Carrwood Park offer low overheads, a quick and convenient set-up and great networking opportunities. Shared offices include essential office features such as Wi-Fi and office furniture, enabling you to start working straight away in a buzzing working environment, something your home office is likely to lack.
As the ONS data reveals, millions of homeworkers in the UK use their home office as a base and work elsewhere from time to time.
Have the best of both worlds by enjoying an ultra-convenient and practical home office, as well as having access to a hot desk and enjoy the banter, facilities and networking opportunities shared offices provide.
For a well-facilitated, conveniently-located and inspiring co-working centre in Leeds, get in touch with Carrwood Park and give your business an invaluable boost.