Setting up an office at home can be a wonderful way to focus on a side hustle, a freelance gig or to do your regular job from home. No matter your reason for your WFH space, creating a spot where you can work uninterrupted and step away, knowing you’ve done your best, is critical.
Create Focus
What will you be looking at while you work, and what will be behind you? Many people get distracted if there’s a window nearby, and others are uncomfortable with their back to the door. If you need to find a spot to work that allows you to sit with your back to a wall or a corner in a larger room, you may find that a folding screen is a terrific divider for your WFH space.
Your desk can be a simple slab on top of filing cabinets as long as it’s at the right height. However, your chair needs to be both comfortable and wheeled. Don’t drag over a dining room chair and return it each night. Your office furniture needs to stay put, even if it’s tucked in the corner of your bedroom or living room.
Define the Space
Once your folding screen is in place, consider adding other items to define your office space. A desk lamp can help you both see your work and create a sense of “working time” for your clan.
Add a bulletin board to the side of the screen that faces you. Put down an office chair mat to ensure that there is no damage to your floor because of the chair.
Set Strict Hours for Your Household and Family
When those close to you find out you’re working from home, they may assume that you have free time. Make sure you define your needs with your loved ones to avoid cutting into your work time. For example, you may need to change your voicemail message to avoid interruptions. You may also need to turn on your “do not disturb” feature during your work hours if folks for non-emergency queries or issues contact you.
Whether you have the above-mentioned screen or a door you can close, post information about your hours. If you need quiet time from 2 to 4 and your family will be in the house, let them know at breakfast and put it on the outside of your door on a whiteboard.
Protect Your Equipment
Your work computer cannot be used for anything else. Make sure your family knows that this is non-negotiable. If you find that your internet connection gets sluggish during the hours you need to be working, you may have to create a “screen-free” time among your family members if they are home while you’re working.
If both you and your partner need to work from home and you find that your data slows down, consider switching over to the hot spot on your cell phone. If you’re working through your work computer, you may need to log out and reconnect. Do your best to reserve your internet bandwidth for work first.
Stop Working at the End of the Day!
One of the worries about working from home is that you can quickly work late into the night. Protect your schedule and work data by completely shutting down your computer at the end of the day. If there’s any risk that a curious child could end up trying to use your work computer, shut down, unplug and stash your work computer.
Use your defining tools to remind yourself to step away from work. Turn off your lamp. Take your whiteboard down from the screen or off of your door. Roll the desk chair under your desk and enjoy your home and your time with family.
Your WFH environment doesn’t have to have a private office, a large desk or even a separate room. You can create a wonderful office in a small corner with a screen or tuck it into a closet. Do check your orientation to the door of the room you’re working in; having your back to the door can be quite distracting.