There’s no denying the fact that the office scenario of the world has seen some significant changes in the past year. The term ‘Home Office’ has set its mark in the work culture. More and more people are working from home. Moreover, companies are eagerly letting their employees work from home, as this is a more economical option – avoiding electricity, office space rent, and other administrative costs.
While working from home sounds pleasant on the ears, managing your home office can sometimes be overwhelming. Here’s how you can bring some clarity to your new workspace scene.
It’s All about the Lights
Proper lighting is an essential requirement for any productive space. A dark and gloomy interior can make you feel lazy and demotivated to work. Invest in some good lights around your work desk to smash those deadlines in style. Choose a space where you get the required lighting for your eyes. Make sure you set your lighting right. Your eyes should feel easy and leave you less strained.
Set Some Boundaries
One of the main disadvantages of working from home is a constant distraction, sometimes from your family or your pet. In this case, some rules and boundaries become unavoidable. It might help to talk to your family about your work rules and avoid those embarrassing zoom meeting-fails. If you are someone whose work demands constant video or voice calls make sure you have a quiet environment. Set your doors closed while on any important meetings, and make sure you avoid unnecessary sounds or distracting backgrounds.
Customize Your Desk
It’s your desk, and you are the boss. One of the best ways to stay motivated towards your work is to personalize your working environment. Set up all the things on your desk that you might need while working. Go for that cute succulent and sipper bottle if you need it. Anything that keeps you happy is never wrong. Make sure, you have a water bottle handy to keep you hydrated anytime.
Posture Point
We are all guilty of neglecting our posture while working from home, which might lead to serious illnesses in the future. Correct posture is just as beneficial as your zoom meeting and the mute button. Nowadays, many people are opting for standing desks to avoid those irritant backaches. The idea might sound unconventional, but it proves to be an excellent form of workout for your body. Investing in comfortable chairs is also crucial to avoid muscle stress and tension. Remember to not sit for long durations and stand up to take a break every few hours.
Calendar and Time Management
A well-planned schedule is not everyone’s cup of tea, although setting a few goals every morning before starting work won’t hurt you. List out all the things you need to get done before the end of the day and set a work time. Having a list in front of you will keep you focused on your deadlines. The most important thing to remember – as soon as the clock hits the end of your work hour, leave the desk! Do not exert yourself under the pretence of productivity. Stay focused during the work hours and go out to enjoy your life after the work timings. All of us are trying to find some balance between our work and home. While the task may sound hard to achieve, it certainly is not impossible.

Here are some tips for a Healthy, Productive and Engaging Home Office Experience
- If your job demands long working hours, avoid working in bed or temporary workspaces, which you change often. Stop it right now, and create a Home Office Setup for you. After all, this is going to be your workspace, so make yourself comfortable.
- Make your desk set-up right, and this is an essential step if you are working from home. Before finalizing the set-up, ensure you have a comfortable – back posture, display position aligned, fingers/hand position on the keyboard/mouse. Make sure you have enough leg space to facilitate free movement and avoid sprains or cramps.
- If possible, set-up your work desk near a window where you can switch your view watching the surroundings now and then. This arrangement not only helps you avoid excessive stress but also facilitates shifting your focus on farther objects and give your eyes the much-required exercise and relief from the incurred pressure of constantly watching the digital screens. If you have noisy surroundings, then plan accordingly.
- If you do not have the habit of using a wireless mouse with your laptop, get yourself one. We have been using Logitech (M170) for our personal use, and we are happy with its design and performance. Using a mouse enhances your overall productivity and saves time.
- Keep things handy: Make sure you have a water bottle, stationery, chargers and other essential equipment handy.
- Keep yourself hydrated. If you don’t stay hydrated, your physical performance can suffer. We keep a 1.2L water bottle on the desk before we start our workday and make sure it gets finished every day by 3 pm. This regular activity not only keeps us hydrated but also requires us to pee, ensuring we move out of our desks now and then. We can also take a stretch or two during this break. This activity gives the body some physical movement, which we generally forget as we get carried away by work.
- If you have a common-living space and work in different time zones, make sure you avoid disturbance (lighting, attending calls, sounds of keypad hits, mouse clicks etc.) to the rest of the members. Discuss with them and come up with a solution that helps you to work comfortably without regrets.
- Just because you are working from home that doesn’t mean you can eat at a time of your choice. Take out some time, stick to a schedule and eat with everyone at home. This practice not only helps you to maintain a healthy routine but also equips you to eat fresh and hot along with your family. You can share, eat more or less depending on the choice of items as everyone is involved. This routine also helps avoid food wastage to an extent. Do remember the kitchen and utensils needs to be prepared for the next course. So, keeping these points in mind will ease things not only for you but also for other family members.
- Make sure you lock the door and keep other members informed if you know you are dealing with an important meeting. The other members or kids might not be in a situation to understand the seriousness of your work.
- Use quality equipment or services – Extension Chords, Chargers, Reliable Internet Connectivity, Web Camera, Mouse, Chair, Furniture, Stationary etc.
- Take a few breaks.
- Make ground rules for family members.
- Go out for a walk in the morning or evening based on your schedule.
- Does music motivate you? You can try playing music in the background when dealing with monotonous work, but make sure the quality of your work isn’t impacted.
- Make sure you remain stress-free to achieve the much-required productivity.
Have points to add? Join the discussion.