Working effectively from home often means making a few choice adjustments to your environment. If you’re sitting on a sofa in your lounge with a laptop, then the chances are that your productivity isn’t all that it might be.
Let’s take a look at the simple adjustments that will really make a difference to how much you can contribute at home.
Choosing the Right Space
Your home working setup should be built around an appropriate space. This should be quiet enough that you can get on with your work with minimal distraction.
It should also ideally receive plenty of natural light through large windows, and possibly skylights.
Investing in Ergonomic Furniture
Once you have a good space, you can make the investment in appropriate furniture. This should include your desk and chair.
Your chair shouldn’t just be comfortable; ideally, it should also promote good posture, and reduce the risk of your suffering musculoskeletal issues after long sessions.
Of course, a good chair isn’t a substitute for exercise. You’ll need a sensible exercise routine to offset the effects of all that sitting. Often, this might simply mean performing a few basic stretches throughout the day.
Ensuring Reliable Internet Connectivity
If you’re exchanging large video files, or contributing to discussions on videoconferencing platforms, then the quality of your internet connection might be crucial.
This means thinking about not just the upload and download speeds you enjoy, but the reliability of your provider.
If your current broadband contract is about to expire, then it might be time to switch broadband provider. Doing so can make working from home a great deal less stressful, and bolster both your productivity, and your reliability.
Implementing Cybersecurity Measures
Working from home might mean presenting a much more appealing target to would-be attackers. If you’re sending data to different businesses, then you create a backdoor into their systems.
It might also be that you’re handling sensitive data yourself. You might even be contractually obliged to keep it safe.
As such, you’ll want to take cybersecurity seriously. Make sure that you use a password manager, and that you have multi-factor authentication enabled. Make a habit of regularly updating all of the software you use – especially your operating system!
Personalising Your Workspace
Getting the best from your workspace might mean tailoring it to suit your preferences and personality. Plants, artworks, and family photos might help to fend off the demoralising sterility that afflicts too many modern offices.
When you’re working from home, you have the freedom to customise – so make sure that you do so. Just a few choice decorations in your field of view can be tremendously beneficial.
